Untouchable Lovers Recap, Plot, Synopsis

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Untouchable Lovers Synopsis

In 464 A.D., Liu Ziye ascended to the throne. He was very tyrannical, and his half-sister, Princess Shan Yin, Liu Chuyu, was even more lascivious.

The number one gang in Jianghu, Tianji Lou, wanted to overthrow Liu Ziye’s tyranny. Zhu Que came to the princess’s mansion, began to train her followers, and met Rong Zhi, who secretly developed an affection.

In the end, Tianji Lou helped Liu Yu to seize the throne successfully, Liu Ziye was killed, and Zhu Que also “died” in the rebellion.

Rong Zhi assisted and took Zhu Que to a neighboring country.

In the neighboring country, Zhu Que learned that Rong Zhi was a follower of the Empress Dowager of Northern Wei. In order to seize the power of the Southern Dynasty, he lurked in the princess’s house and endured humiliation.

When Zhu Que expressed her love for Rong Zhi, Rong Zhi chose the country and Zhu Que left sadly.

Rong Zhi was actually deeply in love with Zhu Que, and in the face of Zhu Que’s resolute departure, he eventually chose Zhu Que.

Untouchable Lovers Recap

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Episode 1 Recap

Flowers bloomed all over the mountains, and a small building stood by the lake. The imperial son-in-law had an affair with a maid and was forced by the princess to jump into the lake. These rumors circulated among the common people, and they were not unfounded, because ever since the Jin Dynasty, all who married princesses ended up miserably. In the Liu Song Dynasty, Liu Ziye ascended the throne, and all officials paid their respects.

However, this monarch seemed different from his predecessors; his temperament was perverse and unpredictable, filling his officials with immense fear, yet they dared not voice their anger. Liu Ziye was furious simply because the portrait of the late emperor did not depict his rosy, bulbous nose, and for a moment, he could not control his emotions. Fortunately, Princess Shanyin, Liu Chuyu, arrived in time. She and Liu Ziye were full siblings.

Seeing her walk gracefully into the hall from outside, Liu Ziye's agitated heart finally calmed down, especially upon smelling the scent of his elder sister, he completely relaxed. Liu Chuyu was known as the most beautiful woman in the Liu Song Dynasty and usually had a fondness for handsome men. After Liu Ziye ascended the throne, at her request, he sent all the handsome men in Jiankang City to his elder sister to be her retainers.

Liu Chuyu paraded through the streets with a group of retainers, drawing pointing fingers and much excitement from the people by the roadside. A small child, seeing Liu Chuyu's carriage, curiously teased the ox pulling it with a red handkerchief. The old ox suddenly started charging and crashing around like it had gone mad. The incident happened suddenly.

Liu Chuyu, inside the carriage, was thrown from side to side, shouting the name of Yue Jiefai, the commander of the princess's guards. But the scene was chaotic, catching the guards off guard, and the princess's carriage then fell into the lake. Liu Chuyu fell into the lake and kept sinking.

In her panic, she felt herself sinking deeper and deeper, while another Liu Chuyu, identical to her, floated higher and higher, as if about to live a new life in her place. Not long ago, after Liu Ziye killed his half-brother Liu Zishuan, everyone in the Liu clan felt unsafe. Liu Ziye's eleventh and twelfth uncles specifically sought out the Tianji Pavilion, rumored to be omnipotent, to eliminate Liu Ziye.

Zhuque of Tianji Pavilion received the Pavilion Master's ring to carry out this mission, and Liu Chuyu's accidental fall into the water just provided her with the opportunity to switch identities. Inside the princess's residence, Liu Chuyu woke up dazedly, only to find a handsome man lying in her bed, with a refined face and sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes.

However, none of this was the most important; Liu Chuyu found that she had no memory of previous events and no impression of the handsome man. Rong Zhi introduced himself, and at the same time, two other retainers also rose from the bed. Liu Chuyu's face turned pale, overwhelmed by so many men. Liu Chuyu had lost her memory, even forgetting the rule that she could not enter the palace to meet the emperor due to her injuries.

Although her temperament remained headstrong after she woke up, she no longer lingered among her retainers. For days, the princess had not summoned her retainers, and some became restless. The retainer Liu Se caused a big scene, insisting on seeing the princess. He was unfortunately blocked by Yue Jiefai, lost his footing, and fell, exposing his flowery underwear embroidered with four goldfish, making himself a big laughingstock.

After avoiding them for many days, Liu Chuyu still had to meet these retainers, as letting them run wild was not an option. Meanwhile, Liu Se went to Rong Zhi's place. Among all the retainers, the princess only held Rong Zhi in high regard, giving him the right to enter and exit her Mingyue Pavilion freely. Ordinary retainers like them couldn't sit still, and Liu Se didn't believe Rong Zhi could either.

However, Rong Zhi calmly read and savored tea, completely without any restlessness. Just then, a servant reported that the princess was holding a spring banquet in the garden and invited all the retainers to attend. There were twenty-four retainers in the princess's residence; the youngest was only twelve years old, named Liu Sang, and his duty was to play cricket fighting with Liu Chuyu. Liu Se deliberately changed into new clothes to parade before Liu Chuyu, displaying extreme obsequiousness.

To show his loyalty, he brought forward the child who had caused the ox to go mad. Liu Se claimed that the child had deliberately attempted murder, and red was the reason the ox went mad. Rong Zhi, however, said the ox went mad simply due to being swayed. With both holding different views, Liu Chuyu asked Liu Se, who was wearing green clothes, to sway in front of the ox to see who was right.

Liu Se was initially full of confidence, but at the moment the ox charged, he was dumbfounded. In fact, Liu Chuyu knew Rong Zhi wanted to save the child's life but did not expose him on the spot. Liu Se was greatly moved by Rong Zhi's privileges, and Liu Chuyu, to show her fairness, canceled all of Rong Zhi's special rights.

Liu Chuyu returned to her Mingyue Pavilion, dismissed everyone, and picked up a small plate from the table, lightly roasting it over a fire. Words immediately appeared. She was Zhuque of Tianji Pavilion, personally impersonating Liu Chuyu, ordered to assassinate Liu Ziye.

After some thought, Liu Chuyu went to Rong Zhi's Muxue Garden, intending to gauge his depth, but unexpectedly overheard retainers Jiang Yan and Huan Yuan, who had feigned illness and not attended the spring banquet, secretly plotting a rebellion. Huan Yuan and Jiang Yan were both men of noble character, unable to tolerate being confined to the residence by Liu Chuyu for mere amusement.

Especially Huan Yuan, who was from the former imperial family, found such humiliation even more unbearable and had been actively planning a rebellion. Rong Zhi kindly lent his place for their private discussion, but Huan Yuan tried to drag him, an outsider, into their plot. However, Rong Zhi was no pushover; how could he be threatened by Huan Yuan? After Huan Yuan and Jiang Yan left, Liu Chuyu did not avoid Rong Zhi and walked past him openly.

After she returned, she thoroughly checked the retainers' files, knowing that "to know yourself and your enemy is to win every battle." However, Rong Zhi's file was completely blank, leaving her bewildered. The next day, Liu Chuyu summoned all the retainers. In front of everyone, she gave Jiang Yan her letter of recommendation, offering him a bright future. Before Jiang Yan left, Liu Chuyu specifically reminded him to pay attention to managing his interpersonal relationships in the future.

Afterward, Rong Zhi had a private conversation with Liu Chuyu, highly praising her for achieving multiple goals with one action. Not only did she successfully sow discord between Jiang Yan and Huan Yuan's rebellion, but she also made Jiang Yan deeply grateful to her, and at the same time, sent away other retainers who might have been accomplices. Regarding Rong Zhi's words, Liu Chuyu gave a vague response, not explicitly stating anything.

Liu Se held a grudge about Jiang Yan leaving the residence, thinking it was Rong Zhi's idea. He specifically sought him out to quarrel. Just then, the princess summoned Rong Zhi, allowing him to seize the opportunity to escape. You Lan, the maid by the princess's side, reminded him to be careful, as the princess's temperament had changed greatly since recovering from a serious illness. Rong Zhi thanked her with a smile.

Liu Chuyu summoned Rong Zhi without explaining the reason, but in his presence, she met Shen Guangzuo, a retainer who came to report Huan Yuan. Shen Guangzuo was a sycophant who adapted to circumstances. Liu Chuyu originally didn't want to give him a good path, but Rong Zhi spoke up, suggesting to recommend him to General Shen Youzhi. After Shen Guangzuo left, Liu Chuyu immediately changed her demeanor; she did not want to give such a snob a bright future. Rong Zhi, however, told her that such petty individuals were easier to use than noble-minded people like Jiang Yan.

Episode 2 Recap

All major and minor affairs in Liu Chuyu's residence had always been handled by Rong Zhi. Taking advantage of her hand injury, she also handed over her usual official duties to Rong Zhi. Now there were two urgent matters to resolve. The rebellion of Huan Yuan was almost over, and Liu Chuyu asked Rong Zhi to deal with it as soon as possible.

The second matter was to assess the retainers in the residence, allowing talented people to use their abilities to the fullest, and dismissing the others. Rong Zhi first went to see Huan Yuan. Huan Yuan thought his betrayal was exposed because Rong Zhi informed on him, but Rong Zhi told him that the princess discovered it herself, and that the princess was no longer as thoughtless as before. Huan Yuan wanted to win Rong Zhi over.

Rong Zhi reminded him to be grateful. Huan Yuan was an orphan of the former imperial family; if it weren't for Liu Chuyu, Huan Yuan would have died in the chaos of war long ago. But he was unwilling to accept it; even if he failed this time, he did not intend to give up. He was so stubborn that Rong Zhi said all he could.

Apart from retainers who could stay for special reasons, everyone else was to leave the residence. However, there were exceptions, such as Liu Se, who threw tantrums and made a scene, insisting on staying. Liu Chuyu was so annoyed by him that she allowed him to stay. As for everyone else, including Rong Zhi, they also had to leave. Above the emerald lake, Rong Zhi, dressed in white, exuded an an extraordinary aura.

He sat before a table, playing the zither and reciting poetry. The usually lustful Liu Chuyu, seeing this scene, was surprisingly unmoved, only intent on driving Rong Zhi away. Isn't that strange? Rong Zhi told her that everyone else could leave, but he could not, because he was the person Liu Chuyu liked the most, and Liu Chuyu would never drive him away, unless she wasn't Liu Chuyu. Of course, she wasn't.

Since Rong Zhi had already become suspicious, she couldn't act rashly against him. Another person who, like Liu Se, was useless but stayed was Mo Xiang. On the surface, Mo Xiang was a princess's retainer, but in reality, he was Rong Zhi's man. He deliberately tested her and indeed found that the princess was very different from before.

Taking advantage of Liu Chuyu's absence, Rong Zhi went to her room to check around and, as expected, discovered clues, finding the words she had written under the bedding. One day, as Liu Chuyu was admiring flowers in the garden, Rong Zhi came over and asked her directly who she really was. Liu Chuyu remained silent. Rong Zhi wrapped his arms around her and spun them both down.

What a handsome man Rong Zhi was; the former Liu Chuyu would have readily put her hands all over him. But the current Liu Chuyu, when Rong Zhi merely got a little close to her, looked visibly uncomfortable. Rong Zhi concluded that she was not Princess Shanyin. Liu Chuyu, of course, would not admit it. Rong Zhi pulled open her clothes and was greatly surprised.

He had been 100% certain that this Liu Chuyu was fake, but unexpectedly, he saw the scars on her body. Only those close to Liu Chuyu knew about her scars. Rong Zhi was momentarily stunned. Liu Chuyu seized the opportunity to call Yue Jiefi for protection. That day, Rong Zhi was able to enter the princess's room because You Lan, the princess's maid, let him in. Liu Chuyu settled scores later, imprisoning You Lan for three days as punishment.

Feeling wronged, You Lan was brought food by Fen Dai, another maid. Fen Dai had previously tried to curry favor with You Lan, but had always been rejected. Now, in times of trouble, You Lan believed in Fen Dai's sincerity. Liu Chuyu actually knew that Fen Dai was secretly delivering food. Seeing Fen Dai's kind heart, she specifically transferred her to her side to serve her.

Behind closed doors, Fen Dai and Zhu Que, who was impersonating Liu Chuyu, happily embraced and reminisced. Fen Dai was also a member of Tianji Pavilion. Zhu Que was able to dispel Rong Zhi's suspicions using the scars, thanks to Fen Dai, who had been in the residence for many years and deliberately befriended You Lan to learn this secret. Zhu Que and Liu Chuyu looked extremely similar, but Zhu Que dared not go to see Liu Ziye.

Even Rong Zhi suspected her, let alone her real younger brother. Zhu Que dared not take the risk. Her personality was completely different from Liu Chuyu's; she had already dismissed most of the retainers in the residence. However, Rong Zhi was a major concern for her. Rong Zhi had held power in the residence for a long time, and everyone listened to him. It was less that Princess Shanyin had imprisoned her, and more that he controlled Princess Shanyin.

Zhu Que couldn't deal with him herself, so she planned to support Huan Yuan against him. Early the next morning, Liu Chuyu, dressed in men's attire, looked exceptionally handsome. She planned to take Huan Yuan and Liu Sang out of the residence with her. Fearing Huan Yuan might rebel again, Rong Zhi specifically gave him a pill that made one feel powerless before they departed.

The consort, He Ji, hurried over to offer a word of comfort before Liu Chuyu left, then quickly departed. He and Liu Chuyu were not close; one could say they were mutually repulsed, but merely kept up appearances for the sake of face. The pursuit of beauty was rampant in the Liu Song Dynasty. As soon as Liu Chuyu and her entourage went onto the street, they were surrounded by a large group of women who vied to offer flowers.

They managed to escape with difficulty and encountered a man named Pei Shu, with whom they went to a bamboo forest outside the city to attend a "flowing wine cup" poetry gathering. Huan Yuan was exceptionally talented, and Liu Chuyu's action was primarily to appeal to his interests and win him over. As they spoke, another person arrived in the bamboo forest, with a face like jade, free and uninhibited. She was Wang Yizhi of the Langya Wang family.

The Wang family was the foremost aristocratic family in the Liu Song Dynasty. Wang Yizhi was expected to become the next family head, but she herself was not very concerned, spending her days indulging in nature. The "flowing wine cup" poetry gathering began. Liu Chuyu watched the wine cups floating down the stream, silently praying that one would not stop in front of her.

Episode 3 Recap

As the saying goes, what one fears comes to pass. The zither music stopped, and the wine cup steadily stopped in front of Liu Chuyu. How could she compose poetry? Liu Chuyu recommended Huan Yuan to replace her. Huan Yuan would compose the poem, and she would drink the wine. Strangely enough, the zither music stopped every time the wine cup reached Liu Chuyu. It had already happened twenty times.

Huan Yuan's poetic talent was praised by everyone, but Liu Chuyu was unwilling to drink any more wine. The person playing the zither was clearly targeting her. She drank half the wine and spilled half, angering the zither player, and he flounced away. At the same time, somehow, a fire suddenly started beside Huan Yuan, and Liu Chuyu was shocked. Liu Sang went up to put out the fire.

Liu Chuyu scolded Huan Yuan for being stupid, saying that writing poetry was not as important as one's life. Who knew that this action would cause everyone to sigh and say she was vulgar and unbearable, and they all left. Wang Yizhi left last, but her face did not show any disdain for Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu and her party were about to leave when they encountered assassins, and it was extremely dangerous.

Huan Yuan had taken Rong Zhi's medicine beforehand and could not run far. Liu Chuyu pulled him along, and even at the moment when he was about to fall off the cliff, she grabbed him. The assassins approached step by step, and just as the knife was about to land on Liu Chuyu, Yue Jiefei finally arrived, and at the same time Hua Cuo appeared and killed the assassins. Hua Cuo was also a retainer of the princess's mansion.

Because he was seriously ill and needed to be sustained with precious medicinal materials, he had not been driven out of the mansion. Liu Chuyu's trip was originally to please Huan Yuan, but now she had suddenly become his savior. Liu Chuyu took the opportunity to propose that Huan Yuan work for her for half a year, and then she would let him leave the mansion, promising him a bright future.

Huan Yuan actually did not have any deep hatred for Liu Chuyu. It was just that because of his past identity, he was unwilling to be played with by the Shanyin Princess. Now, seeing Liu Chuyu's sincerity, Huan Yuan agreed. Hua Cuo returned to the mansion before Liu Chuyu and her party and went to Rong Zhi. Hua Cuo was originally a famous swordsman in the Jianghu.

He was rescued by Rong Zhi when he was seriously injured, and since then he had been recuperating in the princess's mansion, only listening to Rong Zhi's words. Rong Zhi was far-sighted and had long known that Huan Yuan would use the hard-won opportunity to leave the mansion to assassinate Liu Chuyu, and Shen Guangzu, who had left the mansion earlier, was his accomplice.

As soon as Shen Guangzu left the mansion, he contacted the assassins and waited for an opportunity to act. Liu Chuyu wanted to use Huan Yuan, and Rong Zhi also wanted to use him. He gave Huan Yuan medicine beforehand, reminded Liu Sang to carry a sword, and finally let Hua Cuo save them.

He wanted Huan Yuan to know that he was much more clever than him, both to recruit him and to put pressure on him at the same time. After Liu Chuyu returned to the mansion, the first thing she did was to revoke Rong Zhi's power in the mansion and transfer it to Huan Yuan. At the same time, she learned about Hua Cuo's identity. The more she learned, the more surprised Liu Chuyu was.

Rong Zhi secretly controlled the princess's mansion on the one hand, and recruited Jianghu heroes on the other. What exactly did he want to do? Emperor Liu Ziye had not seen his sister for a long time, so he specially asked the emperor's son-in-law He Ji to go to the princess's mansion to bring her into the palace. Before Liu Chuyu entered the palace, Rong Zhi gave her a sachet. Although Liu Chuyu was puzzled, she still wore it.

She had come with a mission, and it would not do to avoid Liu Ziye all the time. When Liu Chuyu arrived, Liu Ziye was treating his imperial uncle Liu Yu like a pig, forcing him to eat pig food, and even wanting to kill him. Liu Chuyu stopped him in time. Liu Ziye was fickle, and Liu Chuyu had to speak very carefully to appease him.

Liu Ziye lay comfortably on his sister's lap and suddenly felt that the fragrance on her body was very light, different from usual. Liu Ziye liked the scent on his sister's body very much. Only by smelling this scent could he calm down, otherwise he would become irritable and want to kill people. Fragrance? Liu Chuyu secretly sensed that Liu Ziye seemed to have some kind of hidden illness, and only the fragrance on her body could calm him down.

In order to verify her guess, Liu Chuyu specially bathed in fragrant powder before entering the palace again. Sure enough, Liu Ziye was much calmer. Rong Zhi knew about this matter. The incense he used to scent the princess was the same scent as the sachet he gave her. Zhuque guessed that the real Liu Chuyu also knew about this matter. The reason why she didn't expose it was to maintain her favor in front of Liu Ziye.

Before Liu Chuyu left the palace, she heard the palace maids praising the Celestial Master. The Celestial Master was the Grand Astrologer Tian Rujing, a descendant of Yunjin Mountain, and his divination skills were very superb. However, Liu Chuyu didn't think much of it. If he was so powerful and revered as a god, then why would the people still suffer? There were no gods, it was just a matter of human effort.

Huan Yuan had taken over the princess's mansion for some time, but the affairs of the mansion were complicated, and he could not fully grasp them for a while. Rong Zhi had managed the princess's mansion in an orderly manner before, and his wisdom should not be underestimated. Liu Chuyu wanted Huan Yuan to take over the affairs of the mansion, but she also knew that this was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

He just needed to do his best. In fact, Rong Zhi didn't care about the control of the princess's mansion at all. Soon he would completely relinquish the power in his hands. He didn't compete because he wanted them to know that he didn't care at all. However, Hua Cuo felt sorry for Rong Zhi. He had managed the mansion for a long time, so why was he dismissed from his post with just one word from the princess?

Hua Cuo had always loved to drink, but his alcohol tolerance was poor. He would get drunk after drinking and cause trouble in the mansion, which was very troublesome. Liu Chuyu calmed down Hua Cuo's trouble before taking the time to explore the formula of the spices in the sachet.

The formula she obtained from folk doctors was the same as the formula that Rong Zhi voluntarily offered after returning to the mansion, but it was still missing the last spice. Rong Zhi wanted Liu Chuyu to exchange it for a thousand-year-old red lingzhi. The thousand-year-old red lingzhi was an important medicinal material for treating Hua Cuo's injuries. Coincidentally, three days ago, the emperor had rewarded Liu Chuyu with one. The deal was reached, and Rong Zhi reminded Liu Chuyu not to leak the spice formula, otherwise her advantage in front of Liu Ziye would be lost.

Episode 4 Recap

However, Rong Zhi wanted to obtain the Millennium Red Ganoderma, and still needed to do three more things for Liu Chuyu. At the same time, Rong Zhi reminded Liu Chuyu to punish You Lan to establish her authority, but You Lan's offense against Liu Chuyu was only to protect Rong Zhi. His words made Liu Chuyu feel disheartened. Meanwhile, Liu Ziye watched the maidens dancing gracefully before him, feeling agitated and losing his temper.

He wanted to see his elder sister, but then remembered that his elder sister was not well and it was not appropriate for her to enter the palace at this time. He could only amuse himself by having his two imperial uncles Liu Yu and Liu Xiuren impersonate pigs. Liu Xiuren loudly condemned Liu Ziye's actions. Seeing Liu Ziye's unpredictable expression, Liu Yu was so frightened that he wet his pants on the spot.

Liu Ziye burst into laughter, and after laughing enough, wanted to send them both to the grill. Liu Chuyu received news from the palace; she wanted to save them but couldn't. She could save them once, but not countless times; if they couldn't save themselves, there was nothing she could do. Everyone wanted to overthrow the tyranny, but what then? There must be a capable monarch to rule the world.

However, Prince Xiangdong, Liu Yu, received guidance from the Celestial Master Tian Rujing. He pretended to have consumed Wu Shi San and acted deranged, thus escaping a calamity. Liu Chuyu received the news and temporarily breathed a sigh of relief, but killing Liu Ziye was imperative; it couldn't be done inside the palace, so she had to find a way to lure him outside.

Coincidentally, Liu Ziye had a nightmare, dreaming that the late emperor's favored concubine Yin Shuyi came to claim his life. Liu Ziye awoke from his dream and ordered the desecration of Yin Shuyi's corpse at the Xin'an Temple, which the late emperor had built for her. Liu Chuyu came into the palace and took the opportunity to suggest taking Liu Ziye out for a stroll to clear his mind.

Fearing to disturb the common people, she suggested a discreet private excursion. As soon as the two left the palace gate, they encountered Grand Commandant Shen Qingzhi. He was worried about the Emperor's safety and insisted that he take imperial guards with him. Shen Qingzhi was loyal to his master, and this outing did not succeed. Liu Chuyu promised that she would definitely take Liu Ziye out next time.

When Liu Chuyu left the palace, she met Shen Qingzhi waiting at the palace gate. Shen Qingzhi reminded her to abide by her duties. Liu Chuyu returned to her residence, and Huan Yuan was specifically waiting for her. He was there to remind her that when dealing with Liu Ziye, she must be especially careful. To kill Liu Ziye, Shen Qingzhi was the biggest obstacle. Fen Dai suggested getting rid of him first, but Liu Chuyu thought more long-term.

Shen Qingzhi had outstanding military achievements; killing him would be tantamount to shaking the foundation of the current dynasty, and she absolutely could not harm him just to complete the mission. Mo Xiang had always deliberately approached Fen Dai. Fen Dai immersed herself in his music, and couldn't help but recall her childhood memories. At that time, she and the Tianji Pavilion Master were traveling when they encountered Zhuque being chased and bitten by fierce dogs.

The Pavilion Master initially didn't intend to save anyone, but after seeing Zhuque's strong will to survive, he changed his mind and took Zhuque into the Pavilion. The next day, Liu Ziye arrived at the Princess's mansion. Consort He Ji had just returned. He had been staying at the home of Minister of Personnel Chu Yuan these past few days. He had been actively socializing with court officials, which made Liu Chuyu genuinely uneasy.

Liu Ziye arrived at this moment, and upon hearing Chu Yuan's name, excitedly thought about bringing Chu Yuan to his elder sister for amusement. For Liu Ziye to leave the palace this time, Shen Qingzhi brought him a group of guards. Liu Chuyu prepared two sets of commoner clothes, and she and Liu Ziye hid in swill buckets to sneak out of the residence. Liu Ziye was greatly excited as soon as he reached the bustling street.

Little did he know that Liu Chuyu had already arranged a deadly trap for him. Liu Chuyu led him to a clinic and left on the pretext of buying something. The arranged assassins seized the opportunity to strike. However, Liu Ziye's hidden guards were quite troublesome, especially their commander Lin Mu. The Tianji Pavilion Master had already prepared a backup plan. Seeing that things were not going well, the assassins threw explosives, intending to die with the Emperor.

Seeing this situation, Liu Chuyu felt pity for her companions and entered the room to check. Unexpectedly, the young emperor was hiding in a stone jar, unharmed. The guard commander Lin Mu also escaped the disaster. Liu Ziye, having survived the great calamity, cuddled with his elder sister, whining, but he noticed his elder sister's eyes were red. Coupled with Liu Chuyu's excuse to leave before the incident, it aroused Lin Mu's suspicion. At the same time, Shen Qingzhi, worried about the Emperor's safety, trespassed into the Princess's mansion. Rong Zhi disguised himself as Liu Ziye, only then temporarily delaying him.

Episode 5 Recap

After the explosion, Liu Ziye didn't seem to be frightened at all and even wanted to eat papaya. Outside the Princess's mansion, Shen Qingzhi discovered something amiss and returned, pointing at Liu Ziye and telling him to tell the truth, because Liu Ziye had never called him "Taiwei". However, this Liu Ziye was now the real one, as they had rushed back through the back door in time. Liu Ziye's mischief angered Shen Qingzhi away.

When Liu Ziye raised his arm, there were some scars. He had been injured protecting the lantern his elder sister gave him, which moved Liu Chuyu for a moment. After Liu Ziye left, Fen Dai asked what had happened outside and why Liu Ziye was still alive. The assassination failed, and Liu Chuyu was also very sad. However, she couldn't kill Liu Ziye for the time being.

Lin Mu, the commander of the hidden guards, was already suspicious of her, and there was also Shen Qingzhi. Another attempt would require careful planning. Liu Chuyu thanked Rong Zhi for helping her buy time. Rong Zhi only hoped that she would no longer be hostile towards him in the future. The next day, Liu Chuyu entered the palace and met Tian Rujing, the Heavenly Master. She scoffed, thinking Tian Rujing always pretended to be supernatural.

Just then, a palace servant reported that the Empress Dowager was ill. Liu Chuyu thought that no matter what, she was the Empress Dowager's daughter and should go see her. Tian Rujing advised her not to go, but Liu Chuyu didn't listen. Tian Rujing secretly shook his head, thinking that what was destined to come would come. With the three stars of Qisha, Tanlang, and Pojun all appearing, the world would surely be in great chaos.

Liu Chuyu went to Yongxun Palace where the Empress Dowager resided. To her surprise, the Empress Dowager not only didn't smile when she saw her but kept trying to send her away. After Liu Chuyu came out, the Empress Dowager's attendant followed her out to explain. For years, the Emperor and the Princess had neglected the Empress Dowager, especially the Emperor, and the Princess's reputation was too bad.

The Empress Dowager's repeated attempts to persuade them had been fruitless, naturally leading to resentment. Before leaving, Liu Chuyu heard a palace servant say that the Empress Dowager insisted on going to Antai Hall, so Liu Chuyu quietly followed and overheard a huge secret. The Empress Dowager held a toy in her hand, regretting deeply what she had done years ago.

When she was still the Empress, she had given birth to twins, but the Heavenly Master at the time said one of them was a Qisha Lone Star, who would bring chaos to the empire. The Emperor forced the Empress to make a choice, and the Empress, for power and status, actually killed one of her daughters. Liu Chuyu quietly retreated after hearing this, her mind in turmoil. Was this why she looked exactly like Liu Chuyu?

The blue velvet stone she always wore around her neck, the Tianji Pavilion Master had also said, was used to ward off the Qisha fate. Since it was her own biological mother, after Liu Chuyu learned that Rong Zhi knew medicine, she immediately took him into the palace to treat the Empress Dowager, not hesitating to use one of the three wishes he had once granted her.

However, the Empress Dowager was at her last breath, and Rong Zhi could only do his best and leave the rest to fate. Before the two left the palace, they encountered Tian Rujing again. Tian Rujing's master, the previous Heavenly Master, was Rong Zhi's lifelong mortal enemy and the only person who had ever defeated Rong Zhi. He was also the one who personally altered Zhuque's fate.

He predicted that Zhuque had the Qisha fate and would bring chaos to the empire. After the Heavenly Master made this calculation, the Empress had tried to kill the child many times, but ultimately couldn't bring herself to do it. She had a palace maid take the child out, instructing her to drown her and bring back the swaddling clothes. Liu Chuyu learned that her tragic fate was due to such an absurd prophecy.

Her heart was filled with indignation and resentment. After returning to her mansion and having a good cry, she decided to be willful for once. She went to the Empress Dowager's palace and loudly questioned why she had been so cruel to her child back then. The Empress Dowager didn't know that the palace maid, unable to bear it, hadn't killed the child but had given her to a farming family.

However, after the farming family had their own children, they only fed her husks and wild vegetables. During famine years, they looked at her as if she were food. It was incredibly difficult for her to survive. The Empress Dowager was stimulated and became mentally disoriented. After Liu Chuyu left the palace, she felt much relieved. After returning to her mansion, it began to snow.

In the vast snowy landscape, Rong Zhi sat alone by the lake, his demeanor outstanding, casually playing a Guangling San. Liu Chuyu thought he always loved "Phoenix Seeks Mate" the most, but she didn't expect Guangling San was also his favorite. Liu Chuyu sat down to continue playing the zither for him, and Rong Zhi danced with his sword. The snow fell softly, and the music and dance were exceptionally beautiful.

However, Liu Chuyu's mind was troubled by her background, and her emotions were restless. She played faster and faster, and the zither string suddenly snapped. Rong Zhi knew she was in a bad mood, so he restrung the zither and played a piece, hoping she would cheer up. Liu Chuyu fell asleep on Rong Zhi's shoulder, and the two of them spent the night together like that. The Empress Dowager didn't have much time left.

Liu Chuyu entered the palace to see her. Although the Empress Dowager had been provoked by her words, seeing the blue velvet stone around her neck, she was overwhelmed with regret. This must be the child from back then. Liu Chuyu didn't admit it, and the Empress Dowager didn't force her. Her body was beyond medicine, and she only wished to see Liu Ziye one last time.

Liu Ziye, afraid of ghosts around the sick, had refused to visit his critically ill mother. Liu Chuyu took the opportunity to tell him a ghost story about the vengeful spirit of a disobedient son's father, forcing him to see the Empress Dowager. Liu Ziye went reluctantly. He had always been cruel and tyrannical.

The Empress Dowager knew that such a ruler would not last long, so she advised him to diligently study the ways of a ruler and listen more to his elder sister. Liu Ziye was annoyed beyond measure and left indignantly. The Empress Dowager had two sons and four daughters in her lifetime, but she never expected that in the end, only the daughter she had abandoned earlier would be by her side.

How she longed to hear her call her "mother," but in Liu Chuyu's hesitation, she passed away. Liu Chuyu choked out the word "mother," her heart filled with sorrow. Before her death, the Empress Dowager had instructed Liu Chuyu that if Liu Ziye were to become heartless in the future, she could act according to her instructions.

Episode 6 Recap

Before the Empress Dowager died, she had already left an edict to choose an Empress for Liu Ziye. When Liu Ziye heard about this, he flew into a rage, even making everyone laugh during the Empress Dowager's mourning period and going on a killing spree. After Liu Ziye left, Liu Chuyu stood before the Empress Dowager's coffin, clenching her fists. Such an inhumane and unjust Liu Ziye truly deserved to be killed.

That night, with thunder rolling, Liu Chuyu went to Liu Ziye's palace, filled with a strong intent to kill. Liu Ziye cried loudly, holding his elder sister, shouting that there were ghosts, and that Yin Shuyi and the Empress Dowager had come to claim his life. He also shouted that someone was trying to kill him. Liu Chuyu had originally planned to act, but the Imperial Guards rushed in after hearing Liu Ziye's shouts.

After Liu Ziye drove the people out, Liu Chuyu saw him hiding in the quilt out of fear and asked him what he was so afraid of. Liu Ziye recalled how, when he was a child, Yin Shuyi, relying on the Emperor's favor, subjected him to all sorts of humiliation. Later, when Liu Ziye grew up, he personally strangled Yin Shuyi. Whoever made him afraid, he would kill. Liu Chuyu asked him if he would kill her.

Liu Ziye leaned on her shoulder, his behavior intimate, saying his elder sister was the best to him, and he still wanted to protect her. Liu Chuyu was momentarily moved and let go of her murderous intent. Liu Chuyu found Tian Rujing and asked him about the grievances between his master and Rong Zhi. Tian Rujing told her that Rong Zhi was destined to be a greedy wolf, a naturally insidious and cunning person.

However, Liu Chuyu was so captivated by his appearance that she kept him in the princess's manor. Therefore, the previous Celestial Master had made an agreement with Rong Zhi that unless he could reverse the losing situation, he could not leave the princess's manor. After the Celestial Master's death, this agreement was inherited by Tian Rujing. Liu Chuyu never believed in the talk of destiny; she only believed that her fate was her own to control.

She hoped Tian Rujing could exorcise the ghosts for Liu Ziye so that he would no longer be afraid of spirits. However, Tian Rujing insisted that he could not exorcise ghosts and would certainly not lie. After Liu Chuyu returned to her manor, facing the calm lake, her heart rippled with indecision. She didn't know whether she should kill Liu Ziye. Just then, Rong Zhi came over. Liu Chuyu asked him what to do when her heart was conflicted.

Rong Zhi told her to follow her own heart. This made Liu Chuyu suddenly enlightened. Since she couldn't bear to act, she would thoroughly change Liu Ziye; this would not go against her original intention. However, facing Fendai, who was also from the Tianji Pavilion, and seeing her worry for her, Liu Chuyu couldn't help but feel guilty.

For Liu Ziye, Liu Chuyu planned to host a banquet for the clans in the bamboo forest under the name of Yu Zichu to win over people's hearts. She had previously attended a winding-stream poetry gathering under the name of Yu Zichu, and it would be excellent to invite famous people widely under this name. Liu Ziye refused to attend court, and Liu Chuyu did not force him.

Instead, she told him stories about the ancestors of the Liu clan, hoping he would benefit from them. The Liu ancestors were originally from humble backgrounds but later, through their own efforts, joined the military, treated scholars with respect, and thus achieved great success. Liu Ziye listened with great interest, but it was unknown if it would be effective.

When Liu Chuyu left the palace, Tian Rujing specifically waited at the palace gate to tell her that doing so was futile and went against the way of heaven. Liu Chuyu did not believe in any way of heaven; she only believed in herself. Liu Chuyu was extremely dedicated to transforming Liu Ziye, working tirelessly from dawn till dusk to prepare stories of enlightened rulers.

Rong Zhi, knowing her intentions, shook his head and chuckled, surprised that she could go to such lengths for Liu Ziye. Liu Chuyu had been too overworked these days, and her voice was hoarse. Rong Zhi personally treated her and told her to take good care of her throat. Liu Chuyu's bamboo forest banquet was set for three days later, and Rong Zhi promised her that he would dance at the banquet.

At the bamboo forest banquet, renowned clan members gathered. Rong Zhi danced gracefully in the bamboo forest, using a bamboo branch as a sword, his posture free and easy, yet Wang Yizhi saw a sharp edge in his movements. After the dance, Liu Chuyu, dressed in men's attire, rushed over. She had previously clashed with a certain Xiao Langjun during a winding-stream poetry gathering. At the banquet, Xiao Langjun's words carried hidden meanings, showing great prejudice against her.

Liu Chuyu was determined to make him yield wholeheartedly. Xiao Langjun was a lover of the zither. The zither Liu Chuyu had prepared for the banquet had a distinguished origin: it was Sima Xiangru's Luqi. To completely subdue Xiao Langjun in one go, she raised her hand and smashed the Luqi.

Xiao Langjun was furious, but Liu Chuyu laughed at him, saying he possessed only zither skills but no true zither heart, treating playing the zither merely as a tool for seeking fame and profit. These words filled Xiao Langjun with shame and completely changed his perception of Liu Chuyu. After Xiao Langjun left, Jiankang's foremost beauty, Zhong Niannian, arrived at the bamboo forest.

This zither originally belonged to Zhong Niannian; she had intended to use it to choose a husband, which was why she sold it at a high price. Huan Yuan, unaware of the deeper meaning behind this, had purchased the zither. When Zhong Niannian saw the person behind the purchase of the zither, she wished to stay by her side. Although Liu Chuyu presented herself in men's attire outdoors, she was, after all, a woman.

Her refusal made Zhong Niannian feel humiliated, and she swore to leave Jiankang city and never appear again. In the princess's manor, Moxiang discovered Fendai secretly sending pigeons to contact the outside world, raising suspicions.

Episode 7 Recap

Liu Chuyu rejected Zhong Niannian, such a beauty, and was scorned by the famous people who admired the beauty, who all left, bringing the banquet to an unhappy end. Liu Chuyu left in anger, and Huan Yuan followed her. Wang Yizhi heard Huan Yuan call Liu Chuyu "princess" without a hint of surprise, only wondering why she was angry.

Rong Zhi told her that Liu Chuyu had put a lot of effort into this banquet, but it was ruined by a beauty admired by noble families. How could she not be angry? Zhong Niannian declared that as long as Yu Zichu was in Jiankang for even one day, she would never return. The famous people who admired her hated Yu Zichu to the core, and Liu Chuyu's plan to win over the gentry completely failed.

Liu Chuyu and Zhong Niannian had no previous grudges, so Liu Chuyu was certain that someone was behind the scenes causing trouble. She would not let that person get their way. If winning over the gentry failed, there were still commoners from humble families. The person behind Zhong Niannian was none other than Rong Zhi. After this incident, he ordered Zhong Niannian to leave immediately, taking a letter back.

In at least half a year, and at most a year, he would surely succeed, asking those on the other side to endure a little longer. Fen Dai saw Liu Chuyu's intentions towards Liu Ziye and was annoyed by her fanciful ideas. However, Liu Chuyu wanted to give it a try, to try to reform Liu Ziye. Fen Dai, who grew up with her, promised Liu Chuyu to temporarily keep it a secret from the Tianji Pavilion Master.

But how could the Pavilion Master be kept in the dark just because they wanted to? The Pavilion Master ordered Fen Dai to convey that if she could not complete the mission within ten days, there would be no need to return. Rong Zhi deliberately cooked dishes to test Liu Chuyu, and finally discovered a clue about her. Members of the imperial family would always take small doses of poison to build up resistance, to prevent outsiders from poisoning them.

However, Liu Chuyu knew nothing about this, which was truly inappropriate, unless she was an imposter. Judging by her actions these days, she wanted to preserve the Liu clan's dynasty. Meanwhile, Rong Zhi's purpose in staying in Jiankang City was to destabilize the Liu clan's dynasty. On this day, when Liu Chuyu took Liu Ziye out to play, they coincidentally encountered a group of children.

Liu Ziye heard them singing a nursery rhyme about "two emperors in the palace, a true emperor and a false one," and he flew into a rage, ordering them to be killed. Liu Chuyu tried to stop him but couldn't. The group returned to the princess's mansion. Liu Chuyu asked Liu Ziye why he suddenly went back on his word, after just promising her not to indiscriminately kill innocent people.

Liu Ziye told her the meaning of that nursery rhyme: Dai Faxing controlled the court, and he was the "true emperor" in the rhyme. Moreover, Xiangzhong had historically produced emperors, and their imperial uncle Liu Yu, the Prince of Xiangdong, was also a major threat. When Liu Ziye left the palace today, Shen Qingzhi transferred his trusted confidant Zong Yue to protect him.

Zong Yue caught Mo Xiang who was eavesdropping outside and brought him in, insisting he was a spy and intending to kill him. Just as the sword was about to fall, Fen Dai lunged forward, using her shoulder to block the blow for Mo Xiang. Liu Chuyu vigorously defended Mo Xiang. Liu Ziye trusted her and, at her persistent pleading, also agreed to consider no longer indiscriminately killing innocent people.

Mo Xiang was very grateful to Fen Dai for saving him, and specifically asked Rong Zhi for medicine to give to her. Liu Chuyu was in a very bad mood. Rong Zhi came over and comforted her repeatedly. Liu Chuyu leaned on his shoulder, rarely finding a moment of relaxation. Huan Yuan saw this situation and privately reminded Liu Chuyu not to get too close to Rong Zhi. That person had extremely deep thoughts, was unfathomable, and very dangerous.

At the same time, Fen Dai reminded Liu Chuyu that if she couldn't kill Liu Ziye within ten days, she would be the one to die. No one had ever dared to disobey the Tianji Pavilion Master's orders. Liu Chuyu, full of worries, went into the palace. Shen Qingzhi guarded the palace gate and warned her not to mislead the emperor. Shen Qingzhi's nephew, Shen Youzhi, and Zong Yue were now the emperor's right-hand men.

Especially Shen Youzhi, he was heavily involved in Liu Ziye's killings. Liu Chuyu met Tian Rujing on her way into the palace. Tian Rujing knew she had come about Dai Faxing's matter and told her she was too late; Liu Ziye had already ordered the killing of Dai Faxing and his two sons.

Liu Chuyu was angry that Tian Rujing, as a Celestial Master, clearly could have acted but did nothing, stubbornly adhering to some ridiculous heavenly principles, which was truly infuriating. Liu Chuyu did not want to give up on Liu Ziye and earnestly advised him not to indiscriminately kill innocent people. Liu Ziye had always been very fond of his older sister, and seeing her so persistent, he reluctantly agreed.

Liu Ziye arrested his four paternal uncles, fearing they intended to rebel. Even his imperial uncle, the Prince of Yiyang, who was far away in his fief, was also arrested by him. Liu Ziye's original intention was to kill them, but Liu Chuyu suggested merely imprisoning them to prevent rebellion, otherwise, he would only earn the notoriety of indiscriminately killing innocent people.

At the same time, in the prison, disciples of the Tianji Pavilion infiltrated and delivered a message to the two imperial uncles imprisoned there, who had previously sought help from the Tianji Pavilion. They told them to remain calm, as the Pavilion Master would rescue them. Liu Chuyu encountered Tian Rujing at the palace gate and, without explanation, pulled him along to witness the suffering of the common people.

They first went to a farmer's household, where two children finally managed to eat a full meal, unaware that it was their last meal before being sold. Afterward, Liu Chuyu and Tian Rujing followed the group of children who had been sold and witnessed their tragic state after being sold. Seeing that she had aroused Tian Rujing's sympathy, Liu Chuyu then revealed the purpose of her actions.

She intended to submit a memorial tomorrow, asking Liu Ziye to return the land occupied by nobles to the common people. Liu Ziye was superstitious and would definitely ask Tian Rujing to perform divination. Liu Chuyu hoped he would help her at that time. This idea was too bold, and Tian Rujing could not agree immediately. Yue Jiefi requested Liu Chuyu not to make things difficult for him anymore. Yue Jiefi and Tian Rujing came from the same school, and he truly could not bear to see his junior brother put in such a difficult position.

Episode 8 Recap

Liu Ziye encountered Princess Xincai, the late emperor's sworn sister, in the garden and developed wicked intentions towards her. However, Princess Xincai was already married, being the daughter-in-law of General Wei He Yu, and thus He Mai's wife. For his selfish desires, Liu Ziye arranged for a fake body of Princess Xincai to be sent back to the He residence. Meanwhile, in the prison, the people from Tianji Pavilion could only rescue one person this time.

Prince of Xiangdong Liu Yu immediately gave the opportunity to his ninth brother, Prince of Yiyang. The escape of Prince of Yiyang was quickly discovered. The Tianji Pavilion members went to distract a group of people, and Prince of Yiyang seized the opportunity to blend in with the procession carrying Princess Xincai's body out. At the princess's residence, Liu Chuyu drafted a memorial and showed it to Rong Zhi, seeking his opinion. Rong Zhi told her it was not possible.

The practice of powerful clans seizing land was rampant. To achieve this, military protection would be essential. Moreover, not only Jiankang City, but also the mountains, rivers, and lakes outside the city were occupied by these clans, and commoners even had to pay taxes if they caught a fish. Hearing him say this, Liu Chuyu had a new idea. Suddenly, Yue Jiefi reported that Tian Rujing was missing.

Tian Rujing had been simple-minded since childhood, naive about worldly affairs, and only knew how to divine. Liu Chuyu's words had impacted him too deeply. Yue Jiefi worried something might happen to him and asked Liu Chuyu for help in finding him. Today seemed destined to be eventful, as it began to rain.

Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi went together to search for him, only to encounter the escaping Prince of Yiyang and Xiao Daozhi, who was ordered to help him, the same Young Master Xiao who had once opposed Liu Chuyu. Although Liu Chuyu found Prince of Yiyang's escape quite foolish, she felt she had to help him to prevent Liu Ziye from slaughtering the innocent. As they approached the city gate, they encountered Shen Qingzhi, who was extensively searching the city.

He stopped Liu Chuyu's carriage to search it. In a moment of urgency, Rong Zhi disheveled Liu Chuyu's hair. When Shen Qingzhi lifted the curtain, he saw Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi disheveled, with her shoulder half-exposed, and he exclaimed, "Absurd!" Liu Chuyu escorted Prince of Yiyang to the foot of Dongshan Mountain. Hearing that Prince of Yiyang intended to live anonymously from then on, Liu Chuyu felt relieved.

If Prince of Yiyang had intended to return to his fiefdom and raise an army, Liu Chuyu would have definitely killed him right there. Just then, Yue Jiefi found a piece of fabric scratched from Tian Rujing's clothes nearby. Everyone went up the mountain together to search for him. It turned out that Liu Chuyu's words had greatly shocked Tian Rujing, making him feel distraught, and he had wandered to this place without realizing it.

However, there was another unexpected person—Wang Yizhi. Wang Yizhi had a small hut on the mountain and, when in the mood, came here to barbecue, not expecting to meet so many people. Wang Yizhi offered Liu Chuyu hot soup, but Liu Chuyu handed the bowl of soup to Tian Rujing instead. Afterwards, accompanied by Xiao Daocheng's zither music, Wang Yizhi and Liu Chuyu recited poetry.

When Wang Yizhi spoke of the emperor's misrule and how no one stood up, Tian Rujing seemed to have been struck by something in his heart, dropping the bowl from his hand in shock. Early the next morning, a red sun slowly rose in the east, and Tian Rujing promised to help Liu Chuyu. The weather was cold, and Wang Yizhi prepared meat soup for everyone, but Rong Zhi did not drink a single sip.

From this, Wang Yizhi knew that his wariness was very strong. Moxiang did not understand why Rong Zhi wanted to advise Liu Chuyu on matters of court. Rong Zhi calmly drank his tea. He would advise Liu Chuyu openly, but naturally, he would also secretly trip her up. She could not possibly succeed, so what harm was there in giving a few pointers? Meanwhile, He Mai, carrying a coffin with his household servants, demanded justice at the palace gate.

He declared that the coffin contained not his wife, Princess Xincai, at all, and demanded the emperor give him justice. Liu Ziye was enraged and shot He Mai dead with a crossbow. Liu Chuyu and Tian Rujing arrived just as this scene unfolded. Liu Chuyu, frustrated by Liu Ziye's stubbornness, threw down her memorial and turned to leave. On the street, she encountered two imperial uncles being paraded in bamboo cages.

Hearing their constant pleas for mercy, Liu Chuyu returned to the palace. She managed to calm the furious Liu Ziye, and on leaving the palace, she met Shen Qingzhi. Liu Chuyu had originally advised Liu Ziye not to kill the imperial uncles to avoid the notoriety of being cruel and excessive. But now she had changed her mind. Liu Ziye's actions had already stirred up hatred among the imperial uncles.

If they were not eliminated now, there would certainly be future troubles. Liu Chuyu was determined to nip the problem in the bud. The most suitable person to carry this out was Shen Qingzhi, who was utterly loyal to Liu Ziye. Indeed, upon hearing Liu Chuyu's idea, Shen Qingzhi immediately understood. Liu Chuyu received news that Wang Yizhi had been expelled from the Wang family and rushed over.

Only upon arriving did she learn that someone had reported Wang Yizhi for colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. The Wang family, to avoid suspicion, had to expel her. Wang Yizhi, being free-spirited, did not take the matter to heart. However, someone was making an issue of her rescuing two elderly and weak people from another country, and their intention to target her was clear. Seeing that she was homeless, Liu Chuyu offered to take her in.

However, Wang Yizhi said that Liu Chuyu's place was a "den of tigers and wolves," and she dared not go there. She told Liu Chuyu that she would temporarily stay at a temple outside the city, and if anything came up, Liu Chuyu could find her there. At the same time, she mentioned Liu Chuyu's pale complexion and advised her to visit Jianchu Temple more often for worship.

After Liu Chuyu returned to her residence, she felt that Wang Yizhi's words had a hidden meaning. She rushed to the temple outside the city, only to find it deserted. Wang Yizhi had left only a letter, containing ordinary farewells, but in the middle, there was a "然" (ran) character faintly visible under the firelight. Liu Chuyu could not figure it out and temporarily returned to her residence. She was too exhausted and fell asleep holding the letter.

After a night passed, she found the letter was gone. Seeing her anxiously looking for the item, Fengdai reminded her not to waste any more time on Liu Ziye, as the Pavilion Master's allotted time was running out.

Liu Chuyu vaguely felt that someone was secretly sabotaging her plans: when she hosted a banquet for dignitaries, Zhong Niannian suddenly appeared to disrupt it; just after she persuaded Liu Ziye not to kill, such a children's rhyme mysteriously appeared; and just when she had finally convinced Tian Rujing to help, the incident of He Mai's challenge to the palace occurred. There must be a hand behind this, manipulating things. But who could that person be?

Liu Chuyu always felt that Wang Yizhi was trying to tell her something. She suddenly remembered that Wang Yizhi had asked her to visit Jianchu Temple for worship, and the abbot of Jianchu Temple had the Dharma name Jiran. Liu Chuyu quickly rushed there, only to find that Jianchu Temple had been attacked by assassins, and Abbot Jiran's whereabouts were unknown; whether he was alive or dead was yet to be determined.

Meanwhile, Hua Cuo, dressed in black, returned to Rong Zhi's room. He was the one who attacked Jianchu Temple today, but unfortunately, Jiran had escaped. Rong Zhi only intended for it to be a warning; as long as the message was conveyed, there was no need to kill. He took out the note left by Wang Yizhi, marveling that she still tried to expose him before leaving.

Rong Zhi had known Wang Yizhi suspected him ever since they were on Dongshan Mountain, which was why he devised a plan to force her away. And Wang Yizhi, being such a clever and discerning person, obviously knew his intentions, but he did not expect her to leave such a clue before departing.

Episode 9 Recap

Today was the last deadline given by the Pavilion Master of Tianji to Liu Chuyu. If she could not kill Liu Ziye and complete the mission, a severe punishment awaited her. Fundai had always worried about Liu Chuyu, reminding her not to forget the mission. But Liu Chuyu was determined to change Liu Ziye, and had long ago abandoned her intention to kill him.

Liu Chuyu entered the palace with the sachet Rong Zhi had given her, but unexpectedly encountered assassins halfway. The guards hurriedly returned to the manor for help, and Rong Zhi rushed to rescue her. In the chaos, Liu Chuyu was separated. The assassin He Jue entered the carriage with a sword. He Jue was a swordsman as famous as Hua Cuo. He Jue had always believed that Liu Chuyu had imprisoned Hua Cuo, and threatened Liu Chuyu to release him.

Liu Chuyu told him that Hua Cuo was only injured and temporarily staying at the Princess's manor. He Jue had always feared women, and thus could not get close to Liu Chuyu. The confined space of the carriage made him extremely uncomfortable. It was at this moment that Rong Zhi leaped into the carriage. He told He Jue that pursuers would arrive soon and advised him to leave quickly if he knew what was good for him.

He Jue, not doubting him, leaped away. The speeding carriage could not be stopped. Rong Zhi provoked Liu Chuyu with words, wanting her to leave first. Liu Chuyu had initially believed him, but suddenly realized that it would be impossible for Rong Zhi to have jumped onto a speeding carriage so easily. Indeed, after careful observation, she discovered that Rong Zhi's foot was stuck in the carriage and he couldn't move. Ahead was a cliff.

Just before the carriage plunged down, Rong Zhi timely cut the ropes connecting the carriage to the horses, slowing it down, and jumped out with Liu Chuyu in his arms. They rolled several times before finally coming to a stop. Rong Zhi's arm was injured, and he took out a silver needle to stop his own bleeding. He Jue suddenly returned, realizing that Rong Zhi had just lied to him.

He Jue had always wanted to compete with Hua Cuo to prove who was superior, but Rong Zhi deliberately praised Hua Cuo and belittled him, drawing all of He Jue's resentment onto himself. He thought that if he could stall for a little longer, reinforcements should arrive. Rong Zhi's martial arts were inferior to He Jue's, and he knew he couldn't win. He turned and jumped off the cliff. Seeing this, Liu Chuyu immediately jumped after him.

There was a foothold on the cliff face, which Rong Zhi had known all along. He jumped down to place himself in a desperate situation, hoping to find a way out. He just hadn't expected Liu Chuyu to follow him. Severely injured, Rong Zhi leaned on Liu Chuyu's shoulder to rest temporarily. No matter how uncomfortable he felt, he would always face it with a smile.

Rong Zhi told Liu Chuyu that he was disliked by his father as a child and was often beaten. Only by smiling could he soften his father's heart. Liu Chuyu felt sympathy for such a Rong Zhi. She had always thought Rong Zhi was omnipotent, never imagining he would have such a vulnerable side. The rescuers from the Princess's manor arrived, and Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi safely returned to the manor. Before this, Liu Ziye had suddenly visited.

Fundai knew this was an opportunity; since Zhu Que couldn't do it, it had to be her. She and Zhu Que had grown up together, and she truly couldn't bear to see Zhu Que punished for failing to complete the mission. Under her persistent pleading, the Pavilion Master of Tianji agreed to give her three more days. Fundai seized the opportunity to perform a dance for Liu Ziye. Liu Ziye, infatuated, took Fundai into the palace.

Mo Xiang witnessed all of this, clenching his fists and enduring repeatedly before refraining from any excessive obstructive actions. After Liu Chuyu returned to the manor, Huan Yuan promptly informed her about Fundai's entry into the palace. Liu Chuyu rushed into the palace, hoping to rescue Fundai. However, Liu Ziye's bedchamber was not somewhere she could enter just because she wished to. Liu Chuyu met Princess Xincai outside. Liu Ziye had previously forcefully taken Princess Xincai.

Princess Xincai, upon seeing Liu Chuyu, verbally insulted her. In just a short while, Liu Ziye's personal guard Zong Yue arrived. Liu Chuyu had no choice but to give up on rescuing her and reluctantly left the palace. Zong Yue had always suspected that Liu Chuyu would be detrimental to Liu Ziye, and specifically reminded her to mind her status at the palace gate. The assassin Liu Chuyu encountered was sent by the Imperial Son-in-Law He Ji.

He Ji had always been displeased with Liu Chuyu's promiscuity and outrageous behavior, which had made him lose all face. So he arranged for assassins, but he hadn't expected He Jue to fail. The princess had encountered assassins, so He Ji, as the imperial son-in-law, had to pay her a visit, however reluctantly. Unexpectedly, when he went with medicines, he was stopped at the door by Liu Chuyu's maid You Lan, who said the princess was resting.

He Ji turned to leave, but then accidentally saw Liu Chuyu going towards Mu Xueyuan, where Rong Zhi resided, in the corridor. His heart filled with raging anger, and he threw the box of medicines in his hand. Liu Chuyu went to visit Rong Zhi, concerned about his injuries. During their conversation, Rong Zhi mentioned Fundai, saying that Mo Xiang and Fundai were in love with each other, and he wanted Liu Chuyu to help them achieve their happiness.

Liu Chuyu had never known about Mo Xiang and Fundai; upon hearing this, she clenched her fists. Fundai had already entered the palace, and it was too late to say anything now. After Liu Chuyu left, Mo Xiang entered. Rong Zhi asked him why, knowing Liu Ziye's nature, he still watched Fundai enter the palace. Mo Xiang felt bitter and extremely pained inside.

He knew that Rong Zhi, despite knowing Fundai had already entered the palace, made that request to make Liu Chuyu lose hope in Liu Ziye, stop trying to change him, and thus save the Liu dynasty. In fact, Mo Xiang felt the same way. Although he admired Fundai, compared to his own love, what he could not forget more was the blood feud of his entire family.

Back then, he had watched his family die under Zong Yue's sword, powerless to do anything. The only belief sustaining his life was the destruction of the Liu dynasty. In the palace, Fundai, while Liu Ziye was asleep, together with Princess Xincai, who could no longer endure Liu Ziye's insults, placed a long silk sash around his neck and pulled both ends forcefully.

Just as Liu Ziye's breathing became increasingly difficult, the commander of the shadow guards, Lin Mu, suddenly appeared and saved him. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu awoke from a nightmare, sensing that something might have happened in the palace. Indeed, she was summoned to the palace within moments. Princess Xincai was dead, and Fundai, injured, knelt in the main hall. Liu Chuyu was burning with anxiety at the sight but could not show the slightest flaw.

Watching Liu Ziye torture Fundai, Liu Chuyu couldn't bear to see Fundai suffer and personally ended her life. Her mind was filled with memories of growing up with Fundai. Using a headache as an excuse, she hurriedly left the palace and met Tian Rujing halfway.

Episode 10 Recap

Tian Rujing saw Liu Chuyu's sorrowful expression, he quickly went over to ask why. Liu Chuyu painfully fell to the ground, she knew Fendai had died for her sake. Fendai knew she couldn't bear to act herself, so she acted on her behalf. Even to protect her, Fendai didn't expose her accomplices until death. After this incident, Liu Chuyu completely gave up on Liu Ziye.

After Liu Chuyu left, Tian Rujing found the brocade pouch she had dropped on the ground. Although Zong Yue and Lin Mu were both suspicious of Liu Chuyu, Liu Ziye had complete faith in her. He deliberately took Fendai because he didn't want his sister to treat others better than she treated him. After Liu Ziye killed Fendai, he sent ten maids to the Princess's residence for Liu Chuyu.

At the same time, Rong Zhi received news of Liu Ziye beating Fendai to death. Moxiang's hatred was completely ignited. Rong Zhi told him that to overthrow the Liu dynasty, they must first kill Shen Qingzhi. Moxiang had previously been sent into the Princess's residence by Prince of Xiangdong Liu Yu. Liu Yu had always pretended to be incompetent just so that one day he could see the light again.

With Rong Zhi's help, Moxiang personally went to see Liu Yu and reached an agreement with him: when the time was right, they would kill Liu Ziye and help him ascend to power. Afterward, Moxiang went to see Shen Youzhi. Shen Youzhi was Shen Qingzhi's nephew and had always been suppressed by Shen Qingzhi, which already caused him dissatisfaction. Moxiang promised him that after the matter was accomplished, he would replace Shen Qingzhi's position.

Shen Youzhi agreed to cooperate without hesitation. Shen Qingzhi had always known that Liu Yu was playing the pig to eat the tiger, and keeping him would eventually ruin important matters. However, Liu Ziye kept refusing to see him. Shen Qingzhi couldn't wait any longer and impulsively rushed to the prison where Liu Yu was held, striking Liu Yu twice with his sword. However, Liu Yu had the protective undergarment Moxiang had given him earlier and was not injured.

Instead, Liu Ziye, led by Shen Youzhi, arrived in time. Provoked by Shen Youzhi and Liu Yu, Liu Ziye developed a murderous intent towards Shen Qingzhi. That night, Shen Youzhi poisoned Shen Qingzhi's food and wine and personally killed him. Although this matter was at Liu Ziye's instigation, it was also Shen Youzhi's own wish. Even though Shen Qingzhi had long indicated that he would let Shen Youzhi succeed him, Shen Youzhi could not wait any longer.

After Fendai's death, Liu Chuyu returned to the Tianji Pavilion, desperately seeking to see the Pavilion Master. She begged him to give her one more chance, vowing that this time she would definitely kill Liu Ziye to avenge Fendai. The Tianji Pavilion Master, still wearing a mask, mysterious and cold, told Liu Chuyu to wait for the opportune moment. After Liu Chuyu received news of Shen Qingzhi's death, she rushed to offer condolences.

However, she discovered that Shen Qingzhi had not died of illness at all. Only after her repeated questioning did Shen Youzhi reveal the truth. The Liu dynasty relied entirely on Shen Qingzhi's protection. After learning of Liu Ziye's actions, Liu Chuyu still couldn't resist entering the palace. Unexpectedly, she saw Liu Ziye making Fendai's skin and bones into shadow puppets for amusement. Liu Chuyu suppressed the resentment and grief in her heart and left in a hurry.

Liu Chuyu was deeply troubled by Fendai's death. Seeing this, Rong Zhi specifically instructed Liusang to take her out to play, hoping to help her clear her mind. His plan was about to conclude, and his days in the Princess's residence were numbered. Liusang took Liu Chuyu to see stones that could make sounds. When they reached the lakeside in the suburbs, they found a reclusive master sitting on one of the stones, fishing. This person was Guan Canghai.

Xiao Daozhi wanted to invite him out of seclusion but was politely refused. The Xiao family behind Xiao Daozhi was a prominent family in Jiankang City. As the political situation was about to become chaotic, various forces began to emerge. Liu Chuyu fell into deep thought as she watched Guan Canghai's departing back, wondering who he truly was and what impact he would have on the situation in Jiankang.

Episode 11 Recap

Liu Chuyu returned to the princess's mansion, where she was surrounded at the entrance by He Ji, the imperial son-in-law, leading a large troop of soldiers. He said that the Emperor had summoned her to the palace. Liu Chuyu sensed something was wrong and, before entering the palace, instructed Liu Sang to inform Huan Yuan about her summons. Liu Chuyu saw Liu Ziye, who spoke with gentle concern. Unexpectedly, Liu Ziye suddenly questioned her why she had deceived him.

Tian Rujing and Yue Jiefai had told Liu Ziye the secret of the sachet. Liu Ziye resented his elder sister for not telling him the truth about the sachet, and refusing to listen to any of her explanations, he ordered her confined to the princess's mansion. Liu Chuyu encountered Tian Rujing before leaving the palace and questioned him about the sachet. Liu Chuyu did not understand the meaning behind Tian Rujing's actions.

Tian Rujing had always followed the Way of Heaven. He had given Liu Chuyu a chance before, but she had not managed to change Liu Ziye. Tian Rujing knew that Liu Chuyu was someone who would not resign herself to fate, so he had no choice but to expose the sachet matter, making her lose significant influence over Liu Ziye and stopping her from trying to alter the Way of Heaven. Liu Chuyu sneered repeatedly.

Tian Rujing's master had once made her wander aimlessly for the sake of the Way of Heaven, and now Tian Rujing was creating difficulties for her everywhere for the same reason—this damned Way of Heaven. Liu Chuyu was deeply bothered by Yue Jiefai and Tian Rujing revealing her secret to Liu Ziye, and she was very disappointed in Yue Jiefai.

However, from Yue Jiefai's perspective, as a royal guard and Tian Rujing's senior martial brother, he was compelled to act this way. He Ji had always resented Liu Chuyu for cuckolding him. Now that Liu Ziye and Liu Chuyu were estranged, He Ji was ordered to guard the princess's mansion and seized the opportunity to assert his authority over Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu naturally would not tolerate his behavior.

After all, she was the Emperor's biological sister; even if she was out of favor now, He Ji could not do as he pleased. Liu Chuyu still made He Ji furious, yet he could do nothing to her.

Regarding Liu Chuyu's current predicament, Rong Zhi offered her three suggestions: the best strategy was to kill Liu Ziye; the middle strategy was to find every possible way to appease Liu Ziye; and the worst strategy was for her to leave this place and protect herself. He advised her to choose the worst strategy. After leaving Rong Zhi, Liu Chuyu met Huan Yuan, who also advised her to leave this troubled land. Liu Chuyu's face was filled with internal conflict.

How could she not want a peaceful life? But she could not leave; if she left, what would become of the Liu clan's empire? Late at night, Hua Cuo suddenly broke into the Bright Jade Pavilion where Liu Chuyu resided and told her that Rong Zhi had suddenly vomited blood and fallen unconscious. When Liu Chuyu arrived, Rong Zhi's complexion was extremely poor. The doctor told her that to save Rong Zhi, water from Yingchuan was necessary.

However, Liu Chuyu was currently under house arrest, and no one could leave the princess's mansion. To send Rong Zhi to Yingchuan for treatment, they first had to remove He Ji, who was guarding the princess's mansion. Liu Chuyu invited He Ji to dinner that evening and instructed her personal maid, You Lan, to drug his wine. However, He Ji discovered You Lan placing the drug. He Ji, through threats and promises, believed he had turned her to his side.

That night, He Ji played along with Liu Chuyu, watching her succumb to the drug and fall unconscious. He Ji felt both love and hatred for Liu Chuyu, and after being cuckolded by her so many times, his resentment intensified. Just as he was about to strangle Liu Chuyu, she suddenly woke up. Liu Chuyu and You Lan had planned for He Ji to discover You Lan's poisoning; otherwise, he would not have eaten the meal with her so assuredly.

Liu Chuyu silently poisoned He Ji, but did not use a fatal dose, merely causing him to fall unconscious for two hours. In the dead of night, Mo Xiang came to Rong Zhi's bedside and fed him a pill. Rong Zhi immediately woke up. In fact, Rong Zhi's illness this time was intentional. Liu Chuyu was unwilling to leave, so he could only use this method to take her away, and he also needed to leave Jiankang.

Mo Xiang felt that since Liu Chuyu and Liu Ziye were biological siblings, Rong Zhi's actions were not worth it. Rong Zhi knew that he still resented Liu Chuyu over the matter of Fen Dai, but it was not Liu Chuyu's fault. Rong Zhi advised him not to transfer his anger and instructed him to do something for him. After making all preparations, Liu Chuyu went to see Rong Zhi.

Looking at his sleeping face, Liu Chuyu uncharacteristically spoke her true feelings. She told Rong Zhi that she was actually Zhu Que, and also Liu Chuxiu; this was the biggest secret in her heart. She shared it with Rong Zhi because she wanted to tell him that she truly loved him. Liu Chuyu lightly kissed Rong Zhi's forehead, then turned and went out to arrange other matters.

Liu Chuyu did not plan to return after this departure and intended to take everyone in the mansion who genuinely followed her with her. After she left, Rong Zhi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze full of shock, unsure if it was due to Liu Chuyu's sudden confession or her true identity. Liu Ziye was plagued by inner demons, unable to sleep peacefully day after day.

Rumors of an emperor emerging from Xiangzhong were still circulating, so Liu Ziye decided to embark on a southern tour to personally investigate the matter. This southern tour presented an opportunity. The Tianji Pavilion's people in the palace colluded with Liu Yu, the Prince of Xiangdong, whom Liu Ziye had imprisoned, and Jian'an Prince Liu Xiuren, planning to seize this chance to eliminate Liu Ziye. News of a haunting suddenly spread from Hualinyuan, where Yin Shuyi used to live.

Liu Ziye, fearful, decided to personally catch the ghost. At the same time, he ordered Liu Yu to be locked in a pig cage and summoned Liu Chuyu to the palace. Although he was angry that his elder sister had deceived him, at a crucial moment, he still felt secure with her by his side. Meanwhile, the night was as cool as water. In the forest, Wang Yizhi rescued Master Jiran.

Wang Yizhi sincerely apologized for having dragged Master Jiran into trouble earlier to leave a clue for Liu Chuyu. He simply hoped that Liu Chuyu could discover Rong Zhi's true face.

Episode 12 Recap

The eunuch delivered an imperial decree to the Princess's manor, but was told that the Princess had already taken a large number of people into the palace. By the time they realized something was wrong, Liu Chuyu had already left the city and reached the suburban forest. She had made arrangements for Huan Yuan and Liu Sang, telling Hua Cuo to take Rong Zhi for treatment.

She took one last look at Rong Zhi, then turned and returned to Jiankang; she couldn't leave yet. Rong Zhi, watching Liu Chuyu's departing figure, was anxious and weakly called out to her, telling her not to go. When Liu Chuyu returned, He Ji happened to wake up and flew into a rage, but constrained by the imperial decree, he could only first send Liu Chuyu, who for some reason had left and then returned, into the palace.

At the palace gates, Liu Chuyu asked He Ji why he hated her so much. He had concubines, and she found male companions; what was wrong with that? That was fair. He Ji didn't understand why Liu Chuyu suddenly said these things, but Liu Chuyu didn't intend to say more to him. Before meeting Liu Ziye, the people from Tianji Pavilion lurking in the palace met with her and told her to act tonight to kill Liu Ziye.

Liu Chuyu nodded, but she declared that after tonight, she would withdraw from Tianji Pavilion. Liu Ziye was overjoyed to see his elder sister, having long lost his previous cold expression. He had only been angry before, but was still very kind to his elder sister. Looking at Liu Ziye's innocent trust in her, Liu Chuyu felt a trace of softness in her heart. Liu Ziye was going to hold a ritual tonight in Hualin Garden to exorcise ghosts.

Liu Chuyu was furious when she saw Tian Rujing. Tianji Pavilion was going to act tonight, and Tian Rujing shouldn't interfere. Tian Rujing was solely devoted to upholding the Heavenly Way. If Liu Ziye was bound to die tonight, he advised Liu Chuyu not to be soft-hearted. Liu Ziye's loyal attendants, Lin Mu and Zong Yue, had already been transferred away. General Jiang Chanzi, who was on Liu Yu's side, led his troops into the palace.

He Ji, upon seeing this, not only didn't stop them but also ordered his men to guard the palace gates and watch the show, as long as Liu Chuyu was not let go. The ritual Liu Ziye had prepared began, with heavy guards surrounding them. He was having a great time playing with a bow and arrow, when suddenly the surrounding soldiers rebelled. Liu Ziye fled in a panic, and Liu Chuyu chased after him.

Liu Ziye hid among the pile of corpses to evade the pursuers. Seeing his elder sister chasing after him, he hurriedly waved to her. Liu Chuyu took out a crossbow. Liu Ziye was astonished; his elder sister was actually going to kill him. Holding the crossbow, Liu Chuyu recalled everything between herself and Liu Ziye. Liu Ziye really trusted her, but his brutality and killings were also real. Liu Chuyu couldn't bring herself to do it.

After she left, Liu Ziye was hacked to death by the rebellious army. He Ji guarded the palace gate, intent on capturing Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu rushed out of the palace and was stopped by He Ji. She took advantage of his inattention to scratch his face with a ring. This ring was originally prepared to kill Liu Ziye and was coated with poison.

He Ji chased Liu Chuyu to the Empress Dowager's palace and watched helplessly as she disappeared before his eyes. The Empress Dowager had told Liu Chuyu about the secret passage in her palace before her death, in case of emergency. In the chaotic palace, Tian Rujing watched the emperor's star fall, declaring this to be the Heavenly Way. After Liu Ziye's death, with the support of Tianji Pavilion, Liu Yu, the Prince of Xiangdong, ascended the throne.

The first thing he did after taking power was to dismember Liu Ziye's body into ten thousand pieces to vent his hatred. He ordered the elimination of Liu Ziye's remaining loyalists, and Liu Chuyu was the first to bear the brunt. Zong Yue had always been loyal to Liu Ziye. He had been stopped earlier, and by the time he returned to the palace, the situation was already set.

He pledged allegiance to Liu Yu and was ordered to pursue and kill Liu Chuyu. Zong Yue ran into Liu Se, who was in a hurry, on the street. Liu Se had secretly seen Liu Chuyu preparing to escape. To save his life, he went with Zong Yue to chase after the fleeing Liu Chuyu. Two carriages sped through the forest. Huan Yuan, worried about Liu Chuyu, wanted to stop and wait for her.

Hua Cuo knocked him unconscious with a palm strike. Liu Chuyu had long anticipated that Huan Yuan would be unwilling to go far due to worrying about her, and had already instructed Hua Cuo that if she didn't join them in time, they should go first. Because of Liu Se's guidance, Zong Yue quickly caught up with Rong Zhi and the others.

He killed Liu Se and found that Liu Chuyu was not among this group, but he also didn't intend to let these remnants of the Princess's manor go. Although Hua Cuo's martial arts were excellent, he was outnumbered. As Zong Yue was gaining the upper hand, Rong Zhi suddenly made a move. Zong Yue was extremely wary of Rong Zhi; three years ago, he had followed Tian Rujing's master, Tian Ruyue, to ambush and try to kill Rong Zhi.

Everyone he brought died by Rong Zhi's sword, and Zong Yue only escaped by feigning death. Rong Zhi scared Zong Yue away and ordered them to leave quickly. He had fought Tian Ruyue three years ago, and his martial arts were half-crippled, only maintained by medicine. To take Liu Chuyu away, he feigned illness and stopped taking his medicine, making him even weaker now. He told Hua Cuo about his physical condition.

Zong Yue feigned defeat and left, but hearing Rong Zhi's words, he returned. Seeing this situation, Rong Zhi could only force himself to fight. After injuring Zong Yue, he told him his sword was poisoned and to leave quickly if he wanted to live. After Zong Yue left, Rong Zhi propped himself up with his sword, his vision intermittently darkening.

After ascending the throne, Liu Yu burned his bridges and wanted to get rid of Tianji Pavilion, but his people arrived too late; by the time they got there, Tianji Pavilion was already empty. Meanwhile, Liu Yu received a battle report that Huaixi was in a predicament and urgently needed rescue.

Episode 13 Recap

When Huan Yuan woke up, Liu Chuyu happened to catch up and reunite with them. Everyone was very excited to see her. Liu Chuyu told them about the changes in the palace, and she and Rong Zhi exchanged a smile. Zong Yue fled in a hurry and met Shen Youzhi, who was searching for remnants of the Tianji Pavilion outside the city.

He then realized that he had been deceived by Rong Zhi again; there was no poison on the sword at all. He furiously took Shen Youzhi to chase after Rong Zhi. However, the situation was different now. Rong Zhi had already laid a large ambush here. The secret task he had Moxiang handle earlier was to ambush the people of the Great Wei in this place.

Yuwen Xiong of the Great Wei led troops to rescue Rong Zhi, and coupled with the newly arrived Huaixi military report, Zong Yue and Shen Youzhi had to abandon the pursuit of Rong Zhi and retreat to Jiankang after losing several men. The sudden appearance of the Great Wei's people and Moxiang caught Chuyu and the others off guard. Hua Cuo demanded an explanation from Rong Zhi.

Before Rong Zhi could speak, He Jue suddenly appeared and asked Rong Zhi to clarify his original intention for befriending Hua Cuo. Rong Zhi, expressionless, spoke words that chilled the heart. He said that he was short of people back then and valued Hua Cuo's martial arts, which was why he kept him by his side. Hua Cuo's illness could have been cured long ago, but Rong Zhi had deliberately delayed it to make Hua Cuo grateful to him.

Hua Cuo, upon hearing this, was first shocked, then filled with anger. He wanted to harm Rong Zhi. Yuwen Xiong and his soldiers fought with him. Hua Cuo, outnumbered, was surrounded by the soldiers, with a spear held to his neck. Hua Cuo cursed Rong Zhi, saying that he would one day also taste the pain of giving his true heart but receiving nothing in return.

Chuyu pleaded for Hua Cuo, and Rong Zhi, seizing the opportunity, let Hua Cuo go. As Hua Cuo left, he vowed to return to seek revenge. After Hua Cuo left, Rong Zhi, however, said that he was intentionally provoking him to make his martial arts improve further. Chuyu disapproved of his actions, pulled out a long sword, and wanted to talk to him alone. The two walked to a peach forest with falling blossoms and stopped.

Chuyu was curious how Wang Yizhi discovered his true identity. Rong Zhi told her that he was a Xianbei tribesman from the Great Wei and did not eat fragrant meat, and the meat soup Wang Yizhi had offered them before used fragrant meat. Previously, Chuyu had painstakingly tried to help Liu Ziye change, but all her well-laid plans were quietly destroyed by Rong Zhi.

She, Liu Yu, and the Tianji Pavilion were all played by Rong Zhi, clearly showing his deep cunning. These matters were already set in stone, and Chuyu did not want to say more. Rong Zhi had said he heard her confession while feigning sleep, and now Chuyu only wanted to know if he liked her even a little.

Rong Zhi answered without hesitation, "No." Chuyu gave a bitter smile, considering herself an unfortunate person; the first time she fell in love, she loved the wrong person. Since that was the case, she swung her sword, cut off a strand of her hair, and declared that from then on, she and Rong Zhi were completely severed, never to recognize each other again.

Rong Zhi watched Chuyu's retreating back, and for a rare moment, his heart felt a pang of pain. Chuyu, along with Huan Yuan and a few others, went to the courtyard he had prepared in Jizhou. After Liu Yu ascended the throne, he was as extravagant and dissolute as Liu Ziye.

Liu Yu had no sons, so he bestowed his concubine, Chen Miaodeng, upon Prince Jian'an Liu Xiuren, promising that once Chen Miaodeng became pregnant, he would bring her back to the palace and name her child the crown prince. The military situation was urgent; the Great Wei continuously captured counties in the Great Song's Huaixi region. Liu Yu dispatched Shen Youzhi to resist the enemy.

Shen Youzhi and Zong Yue went to Huaixi together and successfully cut off the Great Wei's supply route. Rong Zhi personally commanded from the Great Wei military camp, designing a way to successfully transport provisions to the camp, capturing seven Huaixi counties of the Great Song consecutively. Shen Youzhi, mindful of his military achievements, falsely reported the military situation, claiming a great victory in Huaixi, with 8,000 enemies annihilated and 30,000 captured.

However, he never expected that Liu Yu, incited by Tian Rujing, decided to personally lead the imperial expedition. Once the imperial carriage arrived, the captives would surely be inspected. In a moment of desperation, Shen Youzhi instructed Zong Yue to turn their attention to the Great Song's common people. The reason Tian Rujing incited Liu Yu to lead the imperial expedition was to meet Rong Zhi.

Greedy Wolf, Seven Killings, and Army Breaker are the three major ominous stars that would bring chaos to the world. Although Army Breaker Liu Ziye was already dead, Greedy Wolf Rong Zhi was the source of the chaos. With the war raging in Huaixi, people fled for their lives. However, Jizhou had not yet been captured by the Great Wei. Shen Youzhi ordered the city to be sealed, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.

Chuyu and Huan Yuan had been in Jizhou for a month. Chuyu dressed in men's attire all day, looking as clear and graceful as a painting. Her mood slowly calmed down, believing that time would heal all scars, including her feelings for Rong Zhi. Although Chuyu did not show it, Huan Yuan noticed that she was not happy. He specifically asked the gardener to find a way to make all the flowers in the garden bloom simultaneously.

Under the bright moonlight, Chuyu was pleasantly surprised to see the garden full of colorful, fragrant flowers. Huan Yuan told her that this was specially prepared for her. Chuyu understood Huan Yuan's feelings for her but could not reciprocate them; she only regarded Huan Yuan as a gentle and close elder brother. Huan Yuan understood her meaning and would not force her or make things difficult for her.

Chuyu returned to her room, surprised to see Rong Zhi, who had appeared there unnoticed. Rong Zhi had actually been sending people to follow Chuyu all along, enduring for a long time. Finally, he was no longer willing to go against his own heart and came to find her. He said that his previous rejection of her was a lie, and he also had feelings for her, feelings whose origin was unknown but deep enough.

Chuyu was shocked but also couldn't help but be suspicious. Rong Zhi's schemes were too profound, and she didn't know if he was being sincere or if he was using her again.

Episode 14 Recap

Rong Zhi told Liu Chuyu he came specially for her. Liu Chuyu was momentarily stunned, then angrily shook off his hand. Even if his words were true, they were meaningless now. She no longer intended to give her feelings to Rong Zhi. Love is like a delicacy; it loses its flavor after a certain time. Just then, You Lan came to deliver water. While Liu Chuyu went to open the door, Rong Zhi left.

Rong Zhi returned to the military camp with a grim expression. He received the military report of Liu Yu personally leading the expedition, but he didn't take it to heart. He ordered Mo Xiang to do something for him. Liu Chuyu, Huan Yuan, and Liu Sang planned to go out for a walk. As soon as they stepped out, they suddenly heard a ballad. Liu Sang was exceptionally excited; this was his elder sister's own creation.

Zhong Niannian finished singing a song, got out of the carriage, and reunited with Liu Sang. Zhong Niannian said she accidentally saw Liu Sang on the street and recognized him as her younger brother at a glance. Since Liu Sang and his sister were reunited, Liu Chuyu reluctantly drove him away, saying she had long been annoyed by this troublesome child. After returning to the mansion and closing the door, Liu Chuyu shed tears of reluctance.

Though she was unwilling to part, she could only bear the pain and send him away so that he could live a stable life with his elder sister. Liu Yu arrived incognito in Jizhou. He searched everywhere for beautiful women on the street. Zhong Niannian, wearing white gauze, flashed past, leaving only a silk scarf with a poem on it. Liu Yu took the silk scarf and ordered Shen Youzhi to find the beautiful woman within three days.

Zhong Niannian leaving the silk scarf was her last task; she had obtained Rong Zhi's release document and was going to live a stable life with her younger brother. Huan Yuan had participated in a poetry gathering in Jizhou, and the poem on the silk scarf was his. Liu Yu investigated the truth and wanted to summon Huan Yuan to court as an official.

Liu Chuyu knew that Huan Yuan was unwilling to get involved in court affairs and wanted to elope with him. However, Huan Yuan shook his head slightly. They had no background in Jizhou, but all along, they had never been troubled, blackmailed, or extorted. Someone must have been helping them behind the scenes. Now, that person behind them wanted him to leave, having meticulously planned all this.

Huan Yuan also didn't want Liu Chuyu to wander with him, so he decided to become an official in the court. Before Huan Yuan had an audience with Liu Yu, he met Mo Xiang. Mo Xiang told him that Tian Rujing had arrived in Jizhou. Tian Rujing, to uphold the heavenly way, was bound to eliminate Greedy Wolf Rong Zhi and Seven Fiends Liu Chuyu.

For Liu Chuyu, Huan Yuan was willing to enter the court, to closely monitor Tian Rujing's every move. Zong Yue accidentally saw Huan Yuan and, remembering he was by Liu Chuyu's side, immediately led troops to Huan Yuan's Chu Garden. However, he was a step late. Before him, Rong Zhi had sent his man Chen Bai to take Liu Chuyu away.

Liu Chuyu knew that Chen Bai was Rong Zhi's man, but to avoid being captured by Zong Yue, she had no choice but to go with him. Chen Bai sent a brief message to Rong Zhi, informing him that Liu Chuyu had safely left. Liu Chuyu encountered many old, weak, women, and children in the suburbs; some were sick, and some had died. Liu Chuyu shared her food with them.

From an old lady's mouth, Liu Chuyu learned that the Great Wei people had entered the village overnight, captured the men, and ruthlessly killed the old, weak, women, and children, forcing them to sell their children just to survive. Rong Zhi was the commander of Great Wei. Liu Chuyu naturally assumed that all of this was caused by him. No matter how Chen Bai explained, Liu Chuyu wouldn't listen.

She recalled how she was almost sold by her adoptive parents when she was little. In times of war, it is always the common people who suffer. Although Liu Yu personally led the expedition, he was timid and afraid of death when the Great Wei army attacked. He had his eunuch wear a dragon robe and stand on the city wall to impersonate him, to project an image of power.

In the battle of Jizhou, the Great Song achieved a great victory. A troop of soldiers delivered wine into the city, claiming to be local officials who specially presented the wine to congratulate His Majesty on the great victory. Meanwhile, Liu Yu was overjoyed and asked Huan Yuan to compose a poem to add to the festive mood.

Tian Rujing poured cold water on him while he was happy, telling him that if the Greedy Wolf was not eliminated, he would surely follow in the footsteps of Liu Ziye.

Episode 15 Recap

Liu Chuyu misunderstood Rong Zhi for slaughtering innocent people to win the war, and she was utterly disappointed in him. Liu Chuyu had suffered from the pain of war since she was a child, and was even forced by her adoptive parents to jump into the river to survive. Such experience made her extremely hate war. The carriage sped through the woods. Hua Cuo suddenly appeared with bad intentions.

Fortunately, Rong Zhi was prepared, and they escaped Hua Cuo's first round of pursuit. In Jizhou City, Liu Yu, who had just won a victory, was extremely happy. At his happiest moment, Tian Rujing poured a bucket of cold water on him, telling Liu Yu that Rong Zhi was a greedy wolf who would cause chaos in the world and needed to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Liu Yu was now blinded by temporary victory and did not believe Tian Rujing's words. Not only did he not listen, but he also wanted to hold a grand celebration. Huan Yuan observed all this, and he did not understand why Tian Rujing was targeting Liu Chuyu. Tian Rujing was not targeting Liu Chuyu. He just wanted to get rid of Rong Zhi. If Rong Zhi was not eliminated, Liu Chuyu would not have a peaceful day.

Tian Rujing said everything, and Huan Yuan was thoughtful. Late at night, Yue Jiefi suddenly noticed a figure flashing in Tian Rujing's room. He rushed in and found only Tian Rujing alone. He accidentally saw Liu Chuyu's sachet on the table. Yue Jiefi was a little surprised. He thought that Tian Rujing kept this sachet because he had some thoughts about Liu Chuyu. Tian Rujing suddenly got up, snatched the sachet, and denied Yue Jiefi's guess.

He held the sachet in his hand, his thoughts drifting away. At Liu Yu's celebration banquet, there was fine wine, delicious food, singing and dancing. Several generals guarding Jizhou were all present, and only soldiers were stationed on the city tower. In order to hold this banquet, almost everything in the city was plundered, and the people suffered unspeakably and complained. After Liu Yu came to power, his brutality was no less than Liu Ziye's, and even surpassed him.

He even soaked eyeballs in wine for Shen Youzhi to drink. Seeing that he was frightened and fell to the ground, Liu Yu was furious, angry that he was timid and could not defend the country, completely forgetting his cowardly appearance on the city tower. While there was singing and dancing in the post house, the Great Wei suddenly attacked the city.

They had long deployed, and a large number of spies had already entered the city, opening three city gates without any effort, and igniting the fire oil that had been sprinkled everywhere, and the fire broke out. Liu Yu took advantage of the fact that the south gate had not been breached and hurriedly fled with Shen Youzhi and a few guards, leaving Zong Yue to defend the city.

After the Wei army entered the city, Mo Xiang stayed to reorganize and caught Zong Yue, who was disguised as a woman and wanted to get through. Rong Zhi led his elite men to chase Liu Yu. Liu Yu originally wanted to escape by disguising himself as a soldier, but Rong Zhi did not give him this time.

Now, Liu Yu still wanted to use his power and status to lure Rong Zhi, but Rong Zhi's request was very simple, he just wanted Liu Yu's head. At the critical moment, Tian Rujing suddenly arrived with people and rescued Liu Yu. Standing beside Tian Rujing was Yuwen Xiong, the Great Wei general who had led troops to rescue Rong Zhi a few days ago.

Yuwen Xiong was ordered by Empress Dowager Feng Ting of the Great Wei, who was Rong Zhi's sister, to keep Rong Zhi in Great Song forever. Rong Zhi's value had been used up, and Tian Rujing had always predicted that Rong Zhi was a greedy wolf who would confuse the world, so Feng Ting had to abandon him. Hua Cuo captured Liu Chuyu and You Lan.

Rong Zhi had always been calm in the face of Mount Tai collapsing in front of him, but when he saw Hua Cuo pointing a sword at Liu Chuyu, he was very anxious. Originally, Rong Zhi had arranged everything for Liu Chuyu, but he had overlooked the little maid You Lan. You Lan had been sprinkling red beans along the way to guide Hua Cuo.

The reason why she did this was because she had always admired Rong Zhi, but she was of humble status and could only look up to him, and therefore she was even more jealous of Liu Chuyu, who could stand by his side, so jealous that she hoped she would die. Hua Cuo killed You Lan. Liu Chuyu didn't know whether to feel sorry for You Lan.

Hua Cuo colluded with Tian Rujing to use Liu Chuyu to threaten Rong Zhi. Liu Chuyu was unwilling for Rong Zhi to fail because of this. She used the last agreement of their three agreements to ask Rong Zhi not to care about her and to do what he liked. Rong Zhi injured Hua Cuo before everyone could react. Liu Chuyu fell into Tian Rujing's hands.

Rong Zhi lost the first opportunity and only asked to say a few words to Liu Chuyu alone. Tian Rujing did not know why, but he agreed. On the high cliff, peach blossoms were in full bloom. The cliff, only a few steps away, was slightly misty. Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi stood on the edge of the cliff.

Rong Zhi took out the strand of hair that Liu Chuyu had once used to break off their relationship with a sword. He had lied when he said he didn't like Liu Chuyu before. He had always thought that he was a cold-hearted person, but only towards her, his love was so deep that he couldn't understand it.

Liu Chuyu's heart was moved, but when she thought of those innocent people who had died tragically, she dared not believe Rong Zhi again. Seeing her resolute expression, Rong Zhi suddenly thought of Hua Cuo's curse on him. Could it be that it was really the cycle of heaven? Rong Zhi never believed in heaven. His fate had always been controlled by himself. He took a step back and jumped off the cliff resolutely.

Liu Chuyu reached out to grab him, but only grabbed a void. She just watched Rong Zhi fall down. In order to confirm whether Rong Zhi was dead or alive, Tian Rujing and others went down the cliff to confirm. Rong Zhi had been abused since he was a child, and there were many scars and old wounds on his body that could no longer be erased. Yuwen Xiong confirmed that the bloody and dead person was Rong Zhi.

Liu Chuyu heard about the abuse she suffered as a child, and her heart was filled with grief, but she could not forgive him for killing innocent people. When Mo Xiang arrived with people, what he saw was already Rong Zhi's body. He accused Liu Chuyu of being ungrateful. Rong Zhi had tried his best to keep her safe, but he had only received her unwarranted accusations.

What Liu Chuyu could not forgive was not what Rong Zhi did at all, but what Shen Youzhi and Zong Yue did in order to falsely report military achievements. Hearing Mo Xiang's words, Liu Chuyu's eyes were instantly filled with stormy waves, but more of it was regret.

Episode 16 Recap

Hua Cuo could not let go of Rong Zhi's death. He didn't truly hate Rong Zhi; he just wanted Rong Zhi to admit his mistake. He deeply missed their friendship. Back then, Rong Zhi treated his injuries and taught him sword fighting; those days were so joyful. Now, everything was gone. In his grief, Hua Cuo severed one of his arms and left in disarray. Mo Xiang faithfully followed Rong Zhi.

He killed Shen Youzhi with one sword strike and also intended to kill Liu Yu, but due to a momentary oversight, Liu Yu had already escaped. Tian Rujing intentionally let Liu Yu go, as the Great Song's destiny had not yet run out. Yuwen Xiong wanted to take Rong Zhi's body back to Great Wei, but Mo Xiang stopped him. He presented Rong Zhi's pre-written ten-year development plan for Great Wei. Rong Zhi had known he would die.

Before his mother passed away, she instructed him to take good care of Feng Ting. However, due to an accident when he was eight, he ended up among the Qiang people, and Feng Ting did not enter the palace, transforming from innocent and naive to fierce and brutal, not even trusting her own younger brother. But Rong Zhi didn't mind; he even used his death to scheme for Feng Ting, ensuring those who followed him would be loyal to her.

Yuwen Xiong was moved. Mo Xiang decided to take Rong Zhi far away and guard his tomb for the rest of his life. Liu Chuyu cried bitterly and ran to chase Mo Xiang, followed by Huan Yuan. Tian Rujing also wanted to pursue them, but Yue Jiefai stopped him. Yue Jiefai knew his junior martial brother had changed.

He used to oppose Rong Zhi for the sake of the Way of Heaven, but ever since he met Liu Chuyu, her repeated defiance and admonishments had intrigued Tian Rujing, and he unknowingly fell in love with her. However, she loved Rong Zhi. Tian Rujing swore to eliminate Rong Zhi, and Yue Jiefai wondered how much of this was for the Way of Heaven and how much was due to jealousy of Rong Zhi.

Tian Rujing refused to admit Yue Jiefai's claims, but his hurried steps as he walked away already revealed his true thoughts. While things were in turmoil here, at another stronghold of the Tianji Pavilion, the Master of Tianji Pavilion and Xiao Daocheng discussed the Liu clan's empire. Liu Yu was even more cruel and brutal than Liu Ziye, which was precisely what the Master of Tianji Pavilion wanted.

When Xiao Daocheng mentioned Liu Chuyu, the Master of Tianji Pavilion's eyes, visible outside his cold mask, narrowed slightly. He had his own way of dealing with Liu Chuyu. On a low yellow earthen slope, pear trees blossomed. Rong Zhi was buried in such a quiet and peaceful environment. Liu Chuyu stood before his tomb, recalling all the moments she spent with Rong Zhi: there was sweetness, anger, and regret.

Liu Chuyu was immersed in her thoughts, and it was too late when she realized something was wrong. Not far away, Huan Yuan had been knocked unconscious, and Liu Chuyu was taken away by a group of black-clad figures. When Tian Rujing rushed over, he only saw Huan Yuan, who had just regained consciousness. Huan Yuan told him he only saw a group of black-clad figures pass by before he fainted. Hearing about the black-clad figures, Tian Rujing quickly left.

Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu had already arrived at the Tianji Pavilion stronghold. She thought her mission was complete after Liu Ziye's death, but the Master of Tianji Pavilion intended to punish her, claiming Liu Ziye was not killed by her. Liu Chuyu had long been dissatisfied with the Master of Tianji Pavilion; she and Fen Dai were merely his pawns. The Master of Tianji Pavilion was cold and heartless.

Just as Liu Chuyu was about to lose her life, Tian Rujing arrived in time. The Master of Tianji Pavilion was Tian Rujing's martial uncle; both came from the Yun Jin Mountain lineage, taking it as their duty to uphold the Way of Heaven. After Liu Chuyu learned of their relationship, she suddenly understood many things: she, Liu Ziye, and Liu Yu were all pawns, and their existence was all to protect the true person destined by heaven.

Who could that person be? Liu Chuyu knew too much; if Tian Rujing had not insisted on protecting her, Liu Chuyu would not have been able to leave the Tianji Pavilion. Tian Rujing was the Heavenly Master appointed by Heaven. Although Liu Yu hated him, he could do nothing about him. In the eyes of the Great Song people, Tian Rujing was a celestial being.

Liu Yu, understanding the situation, killed He Ji, who had spoken wildly against Tian Rujing, to curry favor with him. Under Tian Rujing's arrangements, Liu Chuyu returned to Jiankang City, once again the lofty Princess Shanyin. Liu Chuyu missed Rong Zhi, and Tian Rujing asked her to help him thwart the Master of Tianji Pavilion's conspiracy and search for a true enlightened ruler. By the cliffside of a peach forest, two white-robed men arrived leisurely.

They were none other than Rong Zhi, who had supposedly died by jumping off a cliff, and his senior martial brother, Guan Canghai. Rong Zhi had once asked Guan Canghai to help him find stones that could make sounds to amuse Liu Chuyu. Guan Canghai couldn't understand Rong Zhi's purpose in faking his death. Rong Zhi was selfish in love.

Liu Chuyu couldn't tell if her resentment towards him was deeper or her love was deeper, so he used death to make her see her own heart. Liu Chuyu would likely never forget such a decisive method; he wanted to be not only Liu Chuyu's lover but also her only lover. As Rong Zhi was immersed in his thoughts, Guan Canghai suddenly made a move.

He was not only Rong Zhi's senior martial brother but also Feng Ting's senior martial brother. Feng Ting knew Rong Zhi would surely have a trick up his sleeve, so she specifically arranged for Guan Canghai to be the mantis's behind-the-scenes oriole. Rong Zhi and Guan Canghai were evenly matched, but Guan Canghai, knowing his wisdom was not as great as Rong Zhi's, administered the Heart-Devouring Poison to him.

With this poison, Rong Zhi would henceforth be a puppet at Feng Ting's mercy. In a scenic mountain area, a white-robed storyteller sat gracefully on a weeping willow, narrating the deeply passionate and tumultuous love story of Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi. The audience was dissatisfied with such a tragedy. To satisfy their desire for a happy ending, the storyteller specifically told a story of a marriage alliance between Song and Wei, where everything started anew.

In the Northern Wei Imperial Palace, Anle Palace, within the solemn imperial court, Emperor Tuoba Hong of Northern Wei, engrossed in Buddhism, neglected state affairs and wished to appoint a regent prince. Many court officials tried to dissuade him, but Tuoba Hong's mind was made up. Zhao Qi, a Zhongshu Sheng Shizhong, proposed appointing Rong Zhi, the Prince of Changli, as regent prince. However, others recommended Tuoba Yun, Prince Kang.

The former was the Empress Dowager's younger brother, while the latter was a member of the Tuoba imperial clan. Tuoba Hong asked Chancellor Ma Xiangliang for his opinion. Meanwhile, in the palace of Imperial Concubine Qi, Tuoba Yun and his mother concubine drank tea, quietly awaiting good news. Tuoba Yun had built up his own influence in court for many years, and he had already sounded out Chancellor Ma, knowing that he had decided not to take sides.

In the Empress Dowager's palace, Feng Ting's brows were tightly furrowed. She knew that securing the regent position for the Prince of Changli this time would not be easy, and at such a critical moment, the Prince of Changli was not even in the palace. On a bustling street, Ma Xueyun, Chancellor Ma's daughter, was throwing an embroidered ball to choose a husband.

However, her brows were tightly furrowed; among the many suitors below, she did not see the man she favored. But the hour had arrived, and she could not delay further, moreover, her lord father had given an order, so she had to throw it. The moment the embroidered ball was thrown, Ma Xueyun jumped down from the building. She did not want to marry anyone except her beloved.

Suddenly, a man in blue brocade robes flew from afar and caught Ma Xueyun. Looking up at his face, Ma Xueyun's face relaxed into a smile. The man in brocade robes was precisely Rong Zhi.

Episode 17 Recap

Ma Xueyun's beloved was none other than Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi not only arrived in time, catching her while also catching the embroidered ball. Meanwhile, in the Anle Palace, the struggle for the Regent position also had a result. Prime Minister Ma Zhongliang recounted an event from many years ago. Many years ago, he had asked King Kang and King Changli a question: what should be done if Great Wei one day fell into dire straits?

King Kang replied that the common people were the most important. King Changli, however, showed a pained expression, because if such a situation arose, it would mean the Tuoba clan had already fallen into danger, hence his sorrow. After Ma Zhongliang's words, King Changli was elected Regent. And Ma Zhongliang suddenly spoke words favorable to Rong Zhi. This was because he saw a small embroidered ball in the hand of the palace maid who was serving tea to the Emperor.

This was a message being passed to him, telling him that the embroidered ball marriage proposal had succeeded. Ma Zhongliang returned home and happened to see Rong Zhi and his daughter engaged in an intimate conversation. He threatened Rong Zhi with the position of Regent, saying that if he insisted on being with Ma Xueyun, his regency would be jeopardized. Unexpectedly, Rong Zhi chose Ma Xueyun without hesitation.

However, twists and turns often occur; Ma Zhongliang had long ago devised a plan with his daughter. One was the matter of the embroidered ball marriage proposal, the other was the struggle for the regency. If Rong Zhi stayed in the palace for the regency, then he certainly would not be sincere towards Ma Xueyun.

If he had just now given up Ma Xueyun because of Ma Zhongliang's temptation, the outcome would be even more obvious: he would have hurt Ma Zhongliang's only daughter, and Ma Zhongliang would surely not let him off lightly. Yet Rong Zhi chose Ma Xueyun both times, thereby earning Ma Zhongliang's loyalty.

On the other side, Tuoba Yun learned that Rong Zhi had not only secured the position of Regent but was also going to marry Prime Minister Ma's only daughter. He was furious, as that position of power, second only to the emperor, should have been his. However, Consort Qi felt it was not worth getting angry over.

Tuoba Yun's defeat this time was in not winning the Prime Minister's only daughter's heart, but as long as he could marry that woman, the outcome would certainly be no worse than Rong Zhi's. In the rebel camp, the rebel leader Xue Xian sat imposingly. He had captured many respectable women for his amusement. He only saw the immediate results of his victories but was completely unaware that his greatest opponent, Huo Xuan, was hidden among these very people.

Huo Xuan was a general of Great Wei's Huo Family Army, a valiant heroine of her generation, clad in blue robes and armor, heroic and spirited. She personally entered the enemy camp, seized the initiative, used poisonous bees to decisively defeat Xue Xian, and lifted the siege of Jingzhou. However, before she could even celebrate, she received the news that Rong Zhi was going to marry Ma Xueyun.

The reason this news traveled so quickly from Pingcheng, the capital of Great Wei, to Huo Xuan was Tuoba Yun's doing. Huo Xuan was the very person he wanted to marry to contend with Rong Zhi. Tuoba Yun waited on the path Huo Xuan was sure to take into Pingcheng and made a heartfelt confession to her.

However, Huo Xuan, who could move freely among thousands of soldiers, was not someone who could be swayed by a few sweet words or direct instigation. The difference between Tuoba Yun and Rong Zhi was that Rong Zhi had never tried to turn Huo Xuan into an ordinary woman, which was also why Huo Xuan liked Rong Zhi.

Huo Xuan arrived in Pingcheng late one night after a continuous night march, only to be stopped outside the city by Tiger Ben General Shen Yu. Shen Yu, entrusted by Rong Zhi, stopped Huo Xuan and conveyed a message for him. He told Huo Xuan that he would never forget the camaraderie they shared since childhood, but given the current situation, he had to marry Ma Xueyun.

Huo Xuan was persuaded, but she firmly believed that no matter how many women Rong Zhi married, only she could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Huo Xuan left resolutely. Shen Yu felt a pang of sympathy for her tireless night travel.

But Rong Zhi had his own considerations: military officials outside the capital were not allowed to return to Pingcheng without a summons, and if Huo Xuan entered the city, it was hard to guarantee that the Emperor would not overthink it. On the other side, Tuoba Yun, having failed to win Huo Xuan's favor, was in a depressed mood. His attendant Qi Heng informed him that He Shan, the envoy from Great Song, had arrived, thus diverting his attention.

In the Anle Palace, He Shan presented three wooden carved dolls, each hiding a profound secret. If no one could decipher them, Great Wei would have to cede some capitals to Great Song; if someone could solve them, then peace talks would be easily managed. Rong Zhi and Tuoba Yun deciphered them simultaneously.

Tuoba Yun spoke first, stating that he believed the three dolls symbolized three types of people: those born with long tongues (gossips), those extremely muddled, and those with inner depth, with only the last being the most precious. Rong Zhi, however, believed the symbolic meaning of the three dolls was frankness, freedom from worries, and trustworthiness, each having its own merits, though the frank doll was rather cute.

He Shan smiled; Rong Zhi's explanation was most in line with the Song Princess's intentions. According to the princess's wishes, she wanted to form a marital alliance with Rong Zhi to forever maintain peace between the two nations. Tuoba Yun thought that Rong Zhi marrying the Song Princess would surely offend Ma Zhongliang, so he was in high spirits. He immediately ordered gifts to be prepared, intending to personally go to the Ma residence to propose marriage to Ma Xueyun.

At this moment, in the Ma residence, Ma Xueyun, learning of Rong Zhi's marriage alliance, was heartbroken and tore up the wedding dress she had personally sewn. Rong Zhi knew she would be sad and specially came to comfort her, telling her he could give up everything for her and take her away. Ma Xueyun's tears turned to a smile, but she was immediately stopped by Ma Zhongliang.

He told Rong Zhi to prioritize the bigger picture; the current Emperor was devoted to Buddhist rituals, and one day Rong Zhi might very well advance further. Given the current situation, he didn't mind his daughter suffering a little by marrying Rong Zhi as a concubine. Rong Zhi was persuaded. Meanwhile, Tuoba Yun, upon hearing this news, was filled with resentment and vowed to be irreconcilable with Rong Zhi.

Episode 18 Recap

Tuoba Yun planned to have the Liu Song princess assassinated "accidentally" on her way to marriage, causing Song and Wei to restart the war, and forcing Rong Zhi onto the battlefield. On the way to the marriage, wherever the Liu Song princess's sedan chair passed, everyone talked about how the Regent King, with his divine appearance, was marrying an ugly woman from the Great Song, which was truly a disadvantage for him.

The one who came to welcome the bride this time was General Shen Yu. They were suddenly attacked. Shen Yu and the princess's maid Qing Yue worked together, and with the strength of just two people, they dealt with numerous assassins. However, the princess already knew something would go wrong and was not in the sedan chair. Although some time was delayed, the princess was still safely sent to the Regent King's manor.

The princess who came for the marriage alliance this time was Liu Chuyu. She wore a bright red wedding dress, dignified and elegant, and walked into the main hall with Rong Zhi. She was walking well initially, but Liu Chuyu accidentally stepped on her wedding dress and stumbled. She gave an awkward smile, and then incredibly, she stepped on her wedding dress again during the bowing ceremony. Although the scene was awkward, the ceremony was completed without incident.

After being escorted to the bridal chamber, Rong Zhi first went to Ma Xueyun's room and performed the wedding rites with her. While they were immersed in affection, poor Liu Chuyu waited and waited, bored beyond measure. She lifted her own veil, took off her shoes to entertain herself, and even heard from Lan Ruo, a servant of the prince's manor who came in, that Rong Zhi had married another bride that day.

Liu Chuyu and Qing Yue secretly climbed onto the roof, planning to catch a glimpse of the other bride's beauty. The two of them were happily watching from the rooftop. Seeing that Rong Zhi was about to get intimate with Ma Xueyun, Liu Chuyu seemed even more excited than them. She accidentally made too big a movement and actually fell from the roof. Her sachet fell onto the wedding bed. Rong Zhi was furious and argued with Liu Chuyu.

However, Rong Zhi was not as sharp-tongued as Liu Chuyu and was even stepped on by her. Liu Chuyu retrieved her sachet and slept alone for the night. Rong Zhi came over midway, but only carefully looked at the sachet she held tightly in her hand, then turned and left. Liu Chuyu was carefree and slept soundly. Even her accompanying maid, Qing Yue, slept sweetly on the corridor outside the door, just like her.

Rong Zhi felt that Liu Chuyu had no manners, so he specifically sent Lan Ruo to teach her. However, hearing Liu Chuyu's unrestrained laughter from the garden from afar, he knew the effect was not good. Liu Chuyu stood on a swing, laughing heartily. Rong Zhi suddenly spoke, startling her, and she actually fell off the swing. Rong Zhi flew to save her, but unexpectedly ended up being her human cushion.

Before Liu Chuyu left the garden, she encountered Ma Xueyun in a narrow path between the garden's shallow ponds. Ma Xueyun pretended to fall to frame her. Rong Zhi, unaware of the truth, also wrongly accused her. Liu Chuyu was never one to suffer silently. She reached out and pushed Ma Xueyun again. She wanted to tell Rong Zhi that if she were to act, she would always do so openly. A few days later, there was a palace banquet.

The Empress Dowager personally sent Aunt Zhao, who was by her side, to the Regent King's manor to teach Liu Chuyu etiquette. Liu Chuyu did not listen to the teachings and even had Qing Yue discipline the domineering Aunt Zhao.

Rong Zhi was angry that Liu Chuyu was too arrogant, but Liu Chuyu spoke from the perspective of Da Wei to the Han people, proving that women do not necessarily have to be confined to the inner courtyard, taking their husbands as their heaven. What she said was logical and forced Rong Zhi into silence. And Aunt Zhao no longer dared to be presumptuous. Since falling into the water that day, Ma Xueyun had been ill in bed.

Rong Zhi personally came to feed her medicine. However, Ma Xueyun was not as simple as she appeared on the surface. Her framing of Liu Chuyu that day was to test Rong Zhi's attitude. With Rong Zhi's intelligence, he must have seen the truth, but he still protected her. As long as Rong Zhi's heart was with her, she was satisfied. The Great Wei was constantly plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities, with floods and rebellions breaking out simultaneously.

The floods needed to be managed, and military pay needed to be issued, but there were not enough supplies in the court. Tuoba Yun proposed increasing taxes, but Rong Zhi believed that disaster relief funds should be allocated, and as for military pay, he would find a way to raise it.

Tuoba Yun put him in a difficult position, and Rong Zhi promised to raise the military pay within three days, otherwise, he would let Tuoba Yun deal with him as he wished. Rong Zhi's actions were too risky. The court officials on his side worried for him, while others waited to see him fail. Rong Zhi was confident.

Although he had been reading in his room for these three days, he had already properly raised the military pay and sent Shen Yu to receive and arrange it. While they were talking, a figure flashed outside the room, and the content of their conversation might have been leaked.

However, there was a palace banquet that day, so he had to let Shen Yu proceed with the original plan, and he himself took Liu Chuyu and Ma Xueyun into the palace for the banquet. The weather was cold. Ma Xueyun was lightly dressed. Rong Zhi showed concern for her, but paid no attention to Liu Chuyu.

Episode 19 Recap

After Rong Zhi left, Shen Yu, according to the plan, escorted the boxes containing provisions and pay out through the back door. In the palace, singing and dancing filled the main hall. Liu Chuyu sat upright in her seat. She was naturally beautiful, and if she remained still, from a distance, she was quite pleasing to the eye. Even the Emperor felt that this marriage alliance had not wronged Rong Zhi.

However, where no one could see, Liu Chuyu secretly took off her shoes to scratch an itch, but Qing Yue discovered her in time and forcefully put her feet back into her shoes, hiding them under her skirt. The palace banquet's dishes were exquisite and delicious, and Liu Chuyu ate happily. Suddenly, she heard an official insult the Song people by mentioning a legendary dish called "lice in wine."

Instead of showing anger, Liu Chuyu chuckled and offered to perform a dance. After everyone was captivated by her dancing, Liu Chuyu threw a chopstick onto the hair of the official who had just spoken, scaring him into shouting for help. Liu Chuyu, however, with a smile, picked up the chopstick, stirred it in his wine, and invited him to drink "lice in wine." Emperor Tuoba Hong's face was very grim.

Suddenly, a palace attendant reported that Rong Zhi's provisions and pay had been robbed. Rong Zhi informed His Majesty and took him and the Chancellor to track the provisions and pay. Rong Zhi had long anticipated that Tuoba Yun would interfere, so he had filled the bottom of the boxes with fine sand; by following the sand, they could find the provisions and pay.

Tuoba Yun was gloating, preparing to deliver a heavy blow to Rong Zhi, when Rong Zhi and Emperor Tuoba Hong's party arrived. Tuoba Yun made a specious argument, claiming that Rong Zhi had secretly amassed wealth and colluded with Huo Xuan to bribe the army. If the boxes containing the provisions and pay had been filled with gold and silver treasures, Tuoba Yun's words might have held water, but these boxes were full of horse manure, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

Rong Zhi reported to His Majesty that he intended to sell this horse manure to make money. Ma Zhongliang echoed his words from the side. Tuoba Hong greatly praised Rong Zhi's wisdom and confined Tuoba Yun to his residence for several days. Tuoba Yun was resentful, but he wasn't entirely empty-handed this time. The provisions and pay Rong Zhi had raised with just this horse manure were far from enough.

Tuoba Yun was just waiting for the army to run out of food to make Rong Zhi look bad. These Rong Zhi had long anticipated. He wrote a letter to Huo Xuan. After Huo Xuan read it, she hosted a grand banquet for the officials and wealthy merchants of Jingzhou, directly asking them to contribute money for provisions. Of course, the officials were unwilling, each complaining bitterly.

Deputy General Wang Ze, Huo Xuan's subordinate, listed item by item the evidence of their extravagance. The Governor of Jingzhou and Lin Biejia openly turned against Huo Xuan, their words filled with insults towards her as a woman. Huo Xuan, impassive, arranged for Lin Biejia to eat "Emperor's Surname Fish," framed him with treason, and without allowing him to explain, she resolved him with a single sword stroke, killing him to warn the others.

The other officials were also wise to the situation and agreed to donate military funds. In fact, what Huo Xuan had served them was not "Emperor's Surname Fish." When the Governor asked, Huo Xuan did not hide it from him, unafraid of him reporting her to His Majesty, because Rong Zhi was handling matters in the court. They trusted each other, one in court, one in the army, cooperating with each other.

However, the military funds Huo Xuan had painstakingly raised were robbed before they even reached the camp. The robbers were carrying the banner of the Great Song, arranged by the Master of Tianji Pavilion. When Huo Xuan learned that the military funds had been stolen by the Song people, her brows furrowed deeply.

After the palace banquet, Liu Chuyu did not want to listen to Ma Xueyun's nagging in the carriage, so she got off in the bustling market, claiming she wanted to stroll around there. Suddenly, a commotion broke out from one spot; someone claiming to be an envoy from the Great Song was publicly harassing a flower seller. Liu Chuyu, of course, knew this person was not a Great Song envoy.

She exposed him in public and took him to the Regent's Residence. As soon as Liu Chuyu returned to the residence, Rong Zhi loudly reprimanded her, saying she had behaved improperly. Liu Chuyu was too lazy to argue with him and directly explained what happened in the bustling market. Unexpectedly, the impostor had already committed suicide when they weren't paying attention. Rong Zhi did not allow Liu Chuyu to interfere in this matter further.

He had a strong intuition that things were not simple, and there was a scent of conspiracy. Meanwhile, in the palace, Consort Dowager Qi tearfully pleaded for Tuoba Yun. She had a very good relationship with Tuoba Hong's birth mother. After his birth mother's death, Tuoba Hong still cared deeply for her. After gently comforting the Consort Dowager, he agreed to lift Tuoba Yun's confinement.

Episode 20 Recap

While Tuoba Yun was grounded, the Inspector of Jingzhou had already submitted a memorial, impeaching Huo Xuan for forcibly seizing military rations. Rong Zhi, in order to protect Huo Xuan, offended many ministers. This was originally beneficial to Tuoba Yun, but he just couldn't be happy. He cherished Huo Xuan in his heart as a treasure, but she cast him aside like an old shoe, her heart solely set on Rong Zhi.

This made Tuoba Yun hate Rong Zhi even more, and his vicious plan against Rong Zhi began to close in. For a time, rumors of Song people killing spread throughout the capital. Song people walking on the streets were almost universally condemned. Liu Chuyu's situation in the Regent's Mansion was precarious; the servants, one by one, dodged her as if they had seen a ghost.

The drunk Song person who committed murder was He Shan, the former marriage envoy from Southern Song. There were rumors that the marriage alliance between Liu Song and Northern Wei had malicious intentions, and Liu Chuyu was a spy who had infiltrated the mansion. In the imperial court, Tuoba Yun seized upon He Shan's murder and wouldn't let go, advocating for severe punishment of the Liu Song envoy.

Ma Zhongliang originally wanted to mediate, but as it concerned the nation's reputation, Tuoba Hong ordered He Shan to be executed ten days later, with Rong Zhi supervising the execution. Liu Chuyu received the news and firmly believed that He Shan would not kill anyone. She wanted to go to the Ministry of Justice, where he was imprisoned, to see him. On the way, she encountered Southern Song citizens being driven away.

Liu Chuyu, unable to bear it, got out of her carriage to protect the children. She was yelled at by the Northern Wei citizens, who mocked her and threw vegetable leaves at her to vent their anger. Rong Zhi passed by and rescued Liu Chuyu, going with her to the Ministry of Justice. Only upon arrival did they discover that He Shan was already dead. Rong Zhi said that He Shan committed suicide out of fear of his crime.

Liu Chuyu was angry that he would condemn someone without even investigating. She demanded to see Tuoba Hong to argue her case in court, stating she had a way to prove He Shan's innocence. Moreover, Northern Wei was expelling Southern Song merchants indiscriminately, and Liu Chuyu also wanted to seek justice for them. Liu Chuyu followed Rong Zhi to the palace, but was blocked outside Anle Palace. Rong Zhi went in for a discussion.

Liu Chuyu, bored of waiting, wandered around. She happened to overhear a palace maid and the Eighth Prince of Northern Wei gossiping, saying that she, Liu Chuyu, was a Southern Song spy. Since that was the case, Liu Chuyu was not afraid of being labeled arrogant and domineering. She directly cut the palace maid's hair as a warning. A moment later, the Eighth Prince suddenly fainted. After examination by the imperial physician, it was declared an allergic reaction.

The Eighth Prince had always suffered from asthma, so this was not to be taken lightly. Tuoba Hong, with his ministers, happened to emerge from Anle Palace. The palace maid searched Liu Chuyu and found a sachet containing poinsettia. It was this sachet that caused the Eighth Prince's allergic reaction. What a vicious trap! The palace maid repeatedly accused her, and the ministers murmured amongst themselves. Liu Chuyu was unable to defend herself.

Rong Zhi won her an opportunity to prove her innocence. Liu Chuyu smiled cunningly, full of confidence. " Southern Song doesn't even have poinsettia," she said. " I didn't even know what this plant was before, how could I use it to harm someone? Moreover, I've already said that this sachet was planted on me by someone else. The person who made the sachet must have a strong scent of poinsettia on them. A search will naturally reveal that person."

Palace servants brought dogs to sniff out the scent. Indeed, the palace maid next to the Eighth Prince had a stronger scent. In fact, the Eighth Prince was not allergic to the scent of poinsettia at all. Today's allergic reaction seemed more like a scheme designed by the Eighth Prince and the palace maid together to frame her. The Eighth Prince's will was not firm, and Liu Chuyu hit the nail on the head.

He knelt and confessed his mistake to Tuoba Hong, saying that he couldn't stand Liu Chuyu's arrogance. But these words clearly couldn't stand. Tuoba Yun reminded the Eighth Prince to attribute the reason to the Southern Song people's murders. Bringing up this matter, Liu Chuyu told Tuoba Hong that He Shan could not drink alcohol because he suffered from psoriasis, and drinking alcohol would cause his entire body to fester and die within a hundred days.

Therefore, he could not possibly have been drunk and committed murder. Tuoba Hong promised to thoroughly investigate the matter, and, in response to Liu Chuyu's forthrightness, to severely punish the Eighth Prince. Liu Chuyu was very happy, but Rong Zhi reminded her, "He Shan is dead, and there is no witness." At the same time, Huo Xuan took Wang Ze into Jingzhou to thoroughly investigate the matter of the stolen military rations.

After Huo Xuan received news of the stolen military rations, she immediately sealed off all major roads. Those people, with the military rations, should still be hiding within Jingzhou city, she thought. Although the robbers were wearing Southern Song military uniforms, Huo Xuan did not want to draw conclusions too early, lest she fall into the trap of evildoers.

Episode 21 Recap

Tuoba Hong ascended the throne in his youth, which was not as simple as it seemed. He granted Liu Chuyu's request to revoke the expulsion order against the Song people and severely punished the Eighth Prince. However, Rong Zhi reminded Liu Chuyu that if the mastermind behind the scenes was not caught, the trees might desire calm, but the wind would not cease. Pingcheng was not peaceful, and Jingzhou, at the border, was even more turbulent.

Huo Xuan was investigating the stolen military provisions in the city when she happened to encounter officials from the Prefect's mansion forcing common people to pay taxes everywhere. Those who couldn't pay would be arrested, causing immense suffering among the populace. Upon seeing this, Huo Xuan suppressed her anger and ordered her deputy general, Wang Ze, to immediately lead troops into the city to search for the military provisions. Prefect Liu furiously went to confront Huo Xuan.

Huo Xuan did not take his threats seriously. Huo Xuan searched the entire city but found no military provisions. Casually hearing the sound of a bell, Huo Xuan led her people to Zhongqing Temple. The Leader of Tianji Pavilion had indeed hidden the military provisions in the temple, and he wanted to see if Huo Xuan dared to search it.

The stele inscription at Zhongqing Temple was personally bestowed by the former emperor, and even the current emperor would not dare to be disrespectful there. However, Huo Xuan was bold and dared to search. Abbot Tianci of Zhongqing Temple obstructed Huo Xuan at every turn. Whenever Huo Xuan mentioned the military provisions, the young novice monk beside Abbot Tianci would become so nervous that his hands trembled.

Although she didn't find the provisions, Huo Xuan had a premonition that they were there. She drove all the monks out and threatened to set the temple on fire, betting that one of the monks would not be able to hold out and speak up. As expected, just as Huo Xuan threw a torch onto the firewood, the young novice monk was the first to speak, leading Huo Xuan to find the military provisions in a cave behind the mountain.

The Abbot did not know who had delivered the provisions; this year was a famine year, and he merely wanted to save more disaster victims. Huo Xuan successfully found the military provisions and did not make things difficult for the monks in the temple. As it was late, Huo Xuan decided to stay overnight at the Prefect's mansion. Prefect Liu certainly couldn't sleep tonight.

He had cooperated with the Leader of Tianji Pavilion so that after Huo Xuan gave up searching for the military provisions, he could not only harm Huo Xuan but also embezzle the provisions. Now that Huo Xuan had found the provisions, the Leader of Tianji Pavilion signaled him to finish what he started and kill Huo Xuan.

For his personal gain, Prefect Liu followed the advice of the Leader of Tianji Pavilion and sent people to secretly assassinate Huo Xuan late at night. However, when he opened the boxes to inspect the military provisions, he was stunned to find them all empty. Suddenly, Huo Xuan entered the mansion with soldiers, stating that she was there to collect the military provisions.

In fact, Huo Xuan had long known that the person behind the stolen provisions had placed them in Zhongqing Temple to bet that she, unable to bear the suffering of starving disaster victims, would leave them behind. Indeed, that person guessed correctly; Huo Xuan genuinely couldn't bear it. She left the military provisions, taking only the empty boxes, and instructed the Abbot to deliberately curse her after she left, so that outsiders would believe she had indeed taken the provisions.

The reason Huo Xuan left the military provisions was that she had an excellent plan to trick her enemies. She had long known that Prefect Liu was colluding with the mastermind behind the stolen provisions and was greedy for them. She specifically set a trap for him.

Just as he thought he was about to succeed, she arrived with soldiers, solidifying Prefect Liu's crime of embezzling military provisions, confiscating the Prefect's mansion, and raising nearly two months' worth of military provisions. Prefect Liu had grievances he couldn't express; his family's wealth was ill-gotten, so he could only be outmaneuvered by Huo Xuan and sent to Pingcheng to await judgment.

In the imperial palace, Empress Dowager Feng Ting heard about the Eighth Prince's plot against Liu Chuyu and specifically summoned Rong Zhi for a discussion. The Eighth Prince was young and had always been on good terms with Tuoba Yun, making him easy to manipulate. Although there was no evidence, it was highly likely that Tuoba Yun had instigated this incident. For Tuoba Yun, Rong Zhi had his own countermeasures.

At the Prince Regent's mansion, after Rong Zhi returned, he informed Liu Chuyu that he would be staying overnight at her Danfeng Pavilion. Liu Chuyu was originally playing with Qing Yue and Lan Ruo when she was startled to hear Rong Zhi's words. Although she had been married into the mansion for a long time, tonight was the first time Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi would share a room. There was a great distance between them.

While Liu Chuyu felt fortunate, she also couldn't help but doubt her own charm, as Rong Zhi seemed to have no feelings for her at all. Liu Chuyu was unhappy and mischievously dabbed rouge on Rong Zhi's face. Rong Zhi left his room in the middle of the night and was ridiculed by the patrolling guards. After seeing his own face, he was practically fuming with anger. Rong Zhi was not the only one fuming tonight.

Ma Xueyun, who was already in poor health, had finally become pregnant but was told she couldn't keep the baby. After learning that Rong Zhi had stayed at Danfeng Pavilion, she sat alone until midnight, filled with resentment. The next morning, Rong Zhi came to apologize to Ma Xueyun. He explained that he had gone to Liu Chuyu's place to dispel rumors of discord between the Prince and his consort. In his heart, he always loved Ma Xueyun.

Ma Xueyun acted gracefully and magnanimously in front of Rong Zhi. After Rong Zhi left for court, Ma Xueyun swept the food off the table. Her beautiful face turned sinister under immense jealousy. She had agreed to her father's wishes and was willing to be Rong Zhi's secondary consort for the greater good.

She thought that as long as Rong Zhi's heart was with her, she could endure it, but now she found that she couldn't, and decided to take the initiative. Liu Chuyu had been married into the Prince's mansion for a long time, yet today was the first time Ma Xueyun, as a secondary consort, came to pay her respects. As a princess of Great Song and the Prince Regent's consort, Liu Chuyu absolutely could not tolerate Ma Xueyun's contempt for her; this was disrespect towards Great Song.

Episode 22 Recap

Seeing Liu Chuyu use the identity of princess and princess consort to suppress her, Ma Xueyun had to kneel down and apologize even if she was unwilling. Ma Xueyun sent Liu Chuyu some utensils for her to play with. Liu Chuyu didn't like dealing with people hypocritically, but she couldn't slap a smiling face.

After Ma Xueyun gave the gift, she even asked for a return gift and immediately put on the rouge from Liu Chuyu, as if she liked it very much. After dismissing Ma Xueyun, Liu Chuyu stayed in the garden feeling depressed. Although Lan Ruo was a maid in the Wang residence, she had been thinking of Liu Chuyu ever since she was assigned to take care of her. Liu Chuyu's actions today were really not smart.

Lan Ruo reminded her that she shouldn't offend Ma Xueyun even for the sake of her reputation. Liu Chuyu never liked these twists and turns. She had a straightforward personality, but as a princess of a country who had married far away to a foreign land, she had to do it even if she didn't like it.

Suddenly hearing the news that Ma Xueyun was poisoned and had a miscarriage, Liu Chuyu rushed over, because there were rumors in the mansion that she had harmed Ma Xueyun. This time, Ma Xueyun was poisoned, and the fetus in her womb was not saved. She cried and wanted Rong Zhi to remember today's events, that she was harmed by Liu Chuyu today, and that Rong Zhi must remember that their child was harmed by Liu Chuyu.

Liu Chuyu rushed to confront her, but Ma Xueyun kept pitifully saying that she was afraid and didn't confront Liu Chuyu head-on. Liu Chuyu didn't intend to let it go and insisted on clearing her name. Rong Zhi was furious and took Liu Chuyu to the palace to see the Emperor and see how she could prove her innocence.

Tuoba Yun was not available, so Rong Zhi took Liu Chuyu to the Empress Dowager's palace to let the Empress Dowager handle the matter. Ma Xueyun said that Liu Chuyu used an excessive amount of cinnabar in the rouge she gave her, which caused her miscarriage. Liu Chuyu personally prepared the rouge in front of the Empress Dowager to let them see what the rouge with excessive cinnabar would look like.

With excessive cinnabar, the color of the rouge was strange, and she believed that no one would put such rouge on her lips. Ma Xueyun's intention to frame Liu Chuyu was obvious. Liu Chuyu forced Rong Zhi to apologize and also demanded that the Empress Dowager severely punish Ma Xueyun.

Liu Chuyu was, after all, a princess of the Great Song Dynasty, and the Empress Dowager couldn't perfunctorily deal with her, so she ordered Ma Xueyun to be confined to the Wang residence. Rong Zhi was very knowledgeable about spices. He had seen through Ma Xueyun's scheme long ago, but he still favored her, which made Liu Chuyu even more dissatisfied.

Rong Zhi was angry that she was too arrogant and domineering and wouldn't let things go, but from Liu Chuyu's standpoint, she was a princess of a country and a princess consort. If she was accused of persecuting the Wang Ye's offspring, how could she handle herself? Rong Zhi originally planned to say something, but he saw Ma Zhongliang's figure out of the corner of his eye, and the words he spoke were all in favor of Ma Xueyun.

Liu Chuyu was furious and claimed that if there was a next time, Ma Xueyun would not be so lucky. Ma Zhongliang was very dissatisfied with his daughter's framing of Liu Chuyu this time and reprimanded her for being impatient and ruining the overall plan. Ma Xueyun had been in poor health since she was a child, and this child was destined to be lost.

Ma Xueyun used him to frame Liu Chuyu and alienate the relationship between Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu. She felt that she had done nothing wrong. Her father had always told her to focus on the overall situation, but Ma Xueyun was so obsessed with getting Rong Zhi's love that she insisted on going her own way even if it meant falling out with her father.

Tuoba Yun used Ma Xueyun's matter to stimulate Ma Zhongliang, satirizing him for choosing the wrong in-laws. Tuoba Yun was of age, but he was still unmarried. Consort Qi had chosen many daughters of officials for him, but Tuoba Yun had no feelings for them. He had long had someone he loved. How could other women catch his eye except for Huo Xuan?

Consort Qi knew that her son was so persistent in waiting for Huo Xuan that it was driving her crazy. On the streets of Pingcheng, a young woman was performing acrobatics with graceful posture and agile movements, which attracted applause from the surrounding people. But she lost her balance and fell, and Tuoba Yun happened to pass by and caught her. He was stunned at first glance. She really looked like Huo Xuan.

This woman was Le Yun, who came to Pingcheng to perform and earn a living. She didn't expect to meet Tuoba Yun by falling. Liu Chuyu was bored in the Regent's mansion and took Qing Yue out to have fun. Rong Zhi ordered Shen Yu to find a doctor for Ma Xueyun who could cure her stubborn illness. Hearing that Liu Chuyu had suddenly left the mansion and disappeared, Rong Zhi hurriedly went to find her.

Liu Chuyu never acted like a princess. She usually liked to go to places where all kinds of people gathered. Rong Zhi followed her preferences and found her. When he arrived, Liu Chuyu was drinking heavily with a wine bottle in her hand. She mistook him for Shen Yu and pulled him to complain.

She thought that she was a princess of a country, and it was fine to marry far away, but she was still bullied everywhere, and her husband didn't like her and even helped others to wrong her. As she spoke, she cried loudly. Rong Zhi was moved. To comfort her, he specially performed a sword dance for her. Qing Yue and Shen Yu saw this scene from afar and felt it was indescribably harmonious.

Episode 23 Recap

Liu Chuyu was dead drunk and said some things she normally wouldn't. Rong Zhi always gave her a very warm feeling, but usually, their interactions were more confrontational. She truly couldn't see through Rong Zhi as a person. Thinking of the grievances she had suffered recently, Liu Chuyu pretended to be drunk, insisted that Rong Zhi carry her all the way back, and even vomited all over him. Rong Zhi's face turned green at the time.

All the way back, she was messing around and lost one of her shoes. Rong Zhi later found the shoe for her, but then he heard her bragging to Lan Ruo and Qing Yue about successfully messing with him. Rong Zhi did not pursue the matter after hearing the truth, giving Liu Chuyu's antics the greatest indulgence. Rong Zhi returned to his study.

Shen Yu reported that the candidate for Jingzhou Cishi had been confirmed, and Attendant Censor Zhao Qi would go to reward the army. In Rong Zhi's view, Tuoba Hong's move indicated his unease with Huo Xuan. Huo Xuan's abilities were evident to all, but she acted too rigidly. Rong Zhi did not want her to be put in a difficult position and had always interceded for her behind the scenes. After finishing with official business, Shen Yu hesitated to speak.

He felt that Rong Zhi should be kinder to Liu Chuyu. Rong Zhi's lips curved into a smile. He said, "She can only live longer if I am not good to her." Outside Huo Xuan's camp in Jingzhou, although the rebel Xue Xian was dead, his cousin Xue Zhao had a strong presence, proclaiming that he would capture Huo Xuan alive to avenge his cousin. Huo Xuan received the news and smiled slightly, thinking, "I'm just afraid he won't come.

Let's finish this battle quickly, and then they can return to Pingcheng." In the evening, at the Jingzhou Cishi's residence, Huo Xuan took her deputy general Wang Ze to attend the welcoming banquet for Zhao Qi and the new Governor Yang. Zhao Qi had received prior instructions from Rong Zhi and did not make things difficult for Huo Xuan, but his words to Wang Ze were full of disdain. Later, Zhao Qi forced a dancer to serve him.

Huo Xuan endured it repeatedly, but ultimately, she couldn't stand it anymore. Zhao Qi's visit this time was ostensibly to reward the army, but in reality, it was to supervise them. It was not a wise move for Huo Xuan to fall out with him, but she had always been upright. Zhao Qi looking down on women in front of her was equivalent to looking down on her. She forced her way into Zhao Qi's room and rescued the dancer.

Zhao Qi, having been treated this way by Huo Xuan today, swore to make her pay. Huo Xuan returned to the front hall to bid farewell to Governor Yang. Suddenly, a servant reported that Zhao Qi was dead. Given Zhao Qi's special status and the fact that Huo Xuan had just had a dispute with him, Governor Yang, as a newly appointed official, detained Huo Xuan at the Cishi's residence that night.

Zhao Qi's death was orchestrated by Tianji Pavilion, who had colluded with Xue Zhao. The purpose of this move was to prevent Huo Xuan from returning to her camp in time. That night, Xue Zhao, using Zhao Qi's imperial decree, falsely conveyed an edict to enter the Huo family army's garrison, catching them off guard. At first light, Huo Xuan awoke with an ominous premonition.

Sure enough, her subordinates rushed to report that the rebels had raided the military camp last night, and they had suffered heavy losses. Now the rebels had surrounded Jingzhou city, completely separating Huo Xuan from the Huo family army and cutting off her communication with the camp. Pingcheng also received no news about the Huo family army. Xue Zhao demanded Huo Xuan's head in exchange for the lives of Jingzhou's citizens.

News from the Huo family army was typically sent every three days. Now, after five days without news, Rong Zhi knew something had happened. During court, he requested to go to Jingzhou to investigate. Tuoba Yun obstructed him multiple times. Rong Zhi, suffering from a cold, forced himself to attend court and, after a heated argument, suddenly fainted.

Lan Ruo told Liu Chuyu that Rong Zhi had fallen ill because he had danced with a sword for her in the wind and snow. Liu Chuyu felt guilty and went to see him. Seeing Rong Zhi handling state affairs while ill, Liu Chuyu snatched the memorial from his hand and forced him to rest. When Rong Zhi woke up, he found Liu Chuyu sleeping by his bedside. Watching her quietly sleeping, Rong Zhi felt a warmth in his heart.

Liu Chuyu woke up upon hearing the movement. Rong Zhi gently tapped her head, a gesture of great intimacy. Liu Chuyu returned to her Danfeng Xuan, her face intoxicated, her heart fluttering as she recalled Rong Zhi's recent intimacy with her. Meanwhile, Rong Zhi's mood was exceptionally heavy; he was certain something had happened in Jingzhou.

Jingzhou had been besieged for several days, and some people grew restless, wanting to force Huo Xuan to go out in exchange for the city's safety. In front of Huo Xuan's door, Wang Ze led a hundred Huo family soldiers in a struggle with the crowd. Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control, Huo Xuan suddenly opened the door and came out.

As soon as she appeared, Governor Yang took the lead in asking her to sacrifice herself. These people looked down on Huo Xuan for being a woman and wanted to use her to resist the rebel army's thousands of soldiers. Huo Xuan flew into a rage, swinging her whip at Governor Yang. " These fools! If you hand me over, can you still live? You are simply courting death!" Huo Xuan's action temporarily intimidated them.

To deal with the rebels, Huo Xuan had another brilliant plan. Jingzhou had the largest prison since the founding of the Great Wei dynasty. Huo Xuan released over a hundred prisoners from the prison in batches, driving them to a flat area to fight with dogs, hoping to find the most ruthless and ferocious individuals. One of them, to protect his student, wrestled with a wolfdog, showing great resilience.

Episode 24 Recap

After several fierce battles, Huo Xuan planned to send the survivors to the army, using prisoners as soldiers. Huo Xuan promised that as long as they could repel the enemy, she would grant them freedom, and promotion and wealth would be within reach. Huo Xuan's move was very risky, and Wang Ze worried that something might go wrong, but it was the only way now.

Huo Xuan noticed that one of them was called "Mister," who actively helped others and offered food, but he was also a murderer. Huo Xuan asked Wang Ze to thoroughly investigate this person. Ma Xueyun copied scriptures with her blood, saying it was to pray for Rong Zhi. Meanwhile, by the small river, Le Yun, who looked exactly like Huo Xuan, lived nearby. Tuoba Yun visited her every day.

His people found out that Le Yun had been a thief and suspected her of being a spy. However, Tuoba Yun couldn't bring himself to suspect her when looking at her face; he believed everything she said and promised to be good to Le Yun for life. At Anle Hall, Tuoba Yun painstakingly brought back one of Zhao Qi's guards from Jingzhou.

According to the guard's report, Zhao Qi was killed by Huo Xuan, and Huo Xuan was occupying Jingzhou and plotting treason. Zhao Qi had discovered this, and also found clues to the former governor's case, but all the memorials had been intercepted by Huo Xuan. Since Huo Xuan was a great general, she could not be convicted based solely on one person's testimony. Tuoba Hong ordered Huo Xuan to be recalled to the capital.

Rong Zhi was very worried about Huo Xuan's situation. He knew that Tuoba Hong was intelligent and that Zhao Qi was the Empress Dowager's person. The Emperor must have known that Huo Xuan was in danger, and doing this was to appease the wrath of the Empress Dowager and the Zhao family. Huo Xuan was currently fighting; once she left, the war would become unpredictable.

Rong Zhi went to ask the Empress Dowager for more time, promising he would uncover the truth. Empress Dowager Feng Ting, Rong Zhi's biological sister, was also very worried seeing him so gravely ill and overworked, but she could not back down on the matter of Huo Xuan, as the entire court of civil and military officials was not easy to deal with. Rong Zhi encountered Tuoba Yun's sarcasm when leaving the palace.

With Le Yun, Tuoba Yun was no longer as enthusiastic about Huo Xuan. To cause trouble for Rong Zhi, he even disregarded Huo Xuan's predicament. However, Le Yun's status was lowly. If Tuoba Yun wanted to give her a proper title, he would have to accept the two concubines given to him by his mother, Concubine Qi. In the manor, Le Yun was looked down upon and openly humiliated by the two concubines.

Upon returning to her room, she tore up all the fabrics Tuoba Yun had sent her, feeling a sense of satisfaction as she listened to the sound of tearing silk. Ancient King Jie of Xia's favorite consort, Mei Xi, disliked silk and enjoyed the sound of tearing silk. Le Yun said she was imitating her.

Tuoba Yun knew she was unhappy, so he smashed his treasured antique to please her, and even declared that he could give up anything for her, and it wouldn't matter if he became a muddle-headed ruler. With his words, Le Yun felt at ease. Rong Zhi was exhausted, and his illness worsened. Liu Chuyu saw him almost fall off his horse upon returning to the manor during the day and was angry that he didn't cherish his own body.

Unable to rest easy at night, she still wanted to check on him. Liu Chuyu walked outside Rong Zhi's room and discovered a suspicious person. Shen Yu went to pursue the person. Liu Chuyu promptly entered the room and stopped Rong Zhi, who had already drunk half of his medicine. The medicine had been poisoned, and Rong Zhi fell unconscious, alarming the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. The assassin disappeared after being pursued to Tuoba Yun's Prince Kang's manor.

Tuoba Hong ordered Shen Yu to thoroughly investigate Prince Kang's manor. A moment earlier, the assassin had escaped into Le Yun's courtyard and was hidden in her room by her. The two concubines saw this situation and immediately called Tuoba Yun over, wanting to stir up trouble between him and Le Yun. When Shen Yu entered the manor, the situation became urgent. Le Yun asked Tuoba Yun to believe that she would not harm him.

Episode 25 Recap

Two concubines wanted to frame Le Yun for secretly meeting an outside man, but Tuoba Yun still believed Le Yun. When Shen Yu searched Le Yun's room, Tuoba Yun and Le Yun were both in the room. Two guards under Shen Yu lifted the quilt, but unexpectedly, there were also two concubines on the bed. Tuoba Yun pretended to be angry and gouged out the eyes of the two guards.

Shen Yu didn't find anyone, suffered this silent loss, and had to leave. In fact, the unconscious assassin was hidden under the quilt. After Shen Yu left, Tuoba Yun imprisoned the assassin in his own residence. Le Yun told Tuoba Yun that someone bought her from her father a month ago, precisely for this night, intending for her to accuse Tuoba Yun of murdering Rong Zhi when the assassin broke in.

Le Yun deliberately stated this in front of the two concubines, betting on Tuoba Yun's feelings for her. To leave no future trouble, Tuoba Yun drew his sword and killed the two concubines, then was intimate with Le Yun. Le Yun, out of the corner of her eye, saw Shi Du Qi Heng guarding the door, and smiled captivatingly.

Failing to capture the assassin at King Kang's residence, Shen Yu returned and reported the truth to the Empress Dowager and His Majesty. The assassin had disguised himself as an imperial medical academy's apprentice to infiltrate the Regent's residence, waiting for an opportunity to poison Rong Zhi. Tuoba Hong ordered a thorough investigation. Ma Zhongliang came to visit Rong Zhi and advised Tuoba Hong, hoping he would not recall Huo Xuan for the time being.

Currently, Jingzhou is in chaos, and Rong Zhi has been assassinated. If Huo Xuan were recalled at this time, the situation would inevitably tilt towards King Kang Tuoba Yun's faction, disrupting the balance of the court. Although Tuoba Hong ascended the throne at a young age, he was very intelligent, and he naturally understood Ma Zhongliang's earnest efforts. Rong Zhi was poisoned and remained unconscious.

At such a time, Ma Xueyun actually went to beg Liu Chuyu to leave Rong Zhi and never see him again. Ma Xueyun felt that Liu Chuyu did not love Rong Zhi; an arranged marriage bound them together, and this loveless marriage was torture for Liu Chuyu, for Rong Zhi, and for her. She begged Liu Chuyu to fulfill her love, even stooping to kneel.

Liu Chuyu despised people like Ma Xueyun who would abandon all dignity for so-called love; if a person does not love herself, how can she speak of loving another? Ma Xueyun, despite her weak health, insisted on taking care of Rong Zhi, tiring herself to the point of fainting. Liu Chuyu had someone help her to rest, while she stayed behind, watching over Rong Zhi all night.

Just as dawn broke, Rong Zhi awoke, saw Liu Chuyu sleeping beside the bed, and smiled faintly. Lan Ruo came in to attend to him, but Rong Zhi shook his head, signaling her to withdraw. After she came out, she happened to encounter Ma Xueyun rushing over. Lan Ruo reminded her to know her place; Liu Chuyu was magnanimous and could tolerate Ma Xueyun's repeated transgressions, but the Empress Dowager might not.

Lan Ruo risked offending Ma Xueyun for the peace of the residence, and Shen Yu was very worried for her. Ma Xueyun was awakened by Lan Ruo's words and invited her father to talk. Zhao Qi was killed, and Huo Xuan was recalled; this was tantamount to disarming Rong Zhi of his left and right arms. Tuoba Yun used this to strike at Rong Zhi.

His Majesty did not want to see King Kang's residence dominate and upset the court balance, so he would inevitably delay the decree for Huo Xuan's return to the capital. Upon careful consideration, the assassin incident still benefited Rong Zhi. Ma Zhongliang reminded his daughter to be cautious with her words; Rong Zhi's schemes were profound, to the point that even he felt inferior.

Rong Zhi was patient and had always dealt with Tuoba Yun to relax His Majesty's vigilance towards him. When the time was not yet ripe, Tuoba Yun was instead Rong Zhi's greatest protective shield. Only then did Ma Xueyun have a sudden realization; in the past, she had been engrossed in romantic love, constantly testing Rong Zhi's limits, which now seemed very foolish.

After all, she was Ma Zhongliang's daughter; as long as she was obedient, Ma Zhongliang would naturally help her. Rong Zhi was passing the time in his room smelling incense. Hearing a sound, he turned around and was slightly disappointed to see that the visitor was Shen Yu; he had thought it was Liu Chuyu.

Shen Yu had feelings for Lan Ruo, and Rong Zhi had always known this, but Lan Ruo was as cold as ice, and Shen Yu had never been able to move her. Ma Xueyun came in to visit Rong Zhi and took the opportunity to complain about Lan Ruo. Rong Zhi, citing Lan Ruo's loyalty to her master, did not intend to punish her.

Ma Xueyun hit a soft nail with Rong Zhi and secretly clenched the silk handkerchief in her hand. Shen Yu came to give something to Lan Ruo and was seen by Liu Chuyu. When Liu Chuyu asked, Lan Ruo did not hide anything. Lan Ruo lost her parents in childhood and was adopted by Shen Yu's mother to be a child bride for the Shen family. When Shen Yu was young, he joined the army and refused this marriage.

Lan Ruo later married; her husband was Rong Zhi's deputy general, and he died in battle two years ago. Rong Zhi, seeing her pitiable situation, had her care for the Empress Dowager. When Liu Chuyu married in, the Empress Dowager bestowed Lan Ruo upon her. As for Shen Yu's actions today, Lan Ruo only thought he was pitying her. Liu Chuyu intended to set up Lan Ruo and Shen Yu; she wanted to know Shen Yu's thoughts.

Shen Yu told her that he had rejected the marriage back then because of his youthful impetuosity. Later, when he met Lan Ruo again, she already had a fiancé. Her fiancé died in battle, and Lan Ruo married his memorial tablet; it was then that Shen Yu fell in love with Lan Ruo. After hearing this, Liu Chuyu felt it was unfair to Lan Ruo and gave Shen Yu a good beating.

Just then, Rong Zhi came to see Liu Chuyu, and seeing the situation, couldn't help but burst into laughter. Late at night, Shen Yu once again expressed his true feelings to Lan Ruo, but Lan Ruo's heart was as hard as iron; she believed he only pitied her and rejected him again and again. Rong Zhi sent people to Jingzhou, but news was slow to arrive; he knew Huo Xuan had encountered great trouble.

Unlike his heavy heart, Liu Chuyu was at this moment happily strolling and eating candied hawthorns with Qing Yue. Walking past a pharmacy, she saw a woman being driven out because she had no money for medicine. Liu Chuyu followed out of curiosity and discovered that the woman had taken leftover food from a restaurant to feed a group of children.

Episode 26 Recap

The children ate happily. Qing Yue went up to help but found most of the food was spoiled. That kind girl was named Hongxiu. She told Liu Chuyu that this used to be an orphanage set up by the Empress Dowager, specifically for adopting children who had no parents or were abandoned by their parents. However, later the Emperor abolished all the orphanages to raise military provisions.

Liu Chuyu watched these children, who still smiled innocently amidst their suffering, and couldn't help but cry. After returning, she took out her dowry, wanting to pawn it to help those children. When Liu Chuyu returned and packed her dowry, Rong Zhi asked the reason, but Liu Chuyu was unwilling to tell him. Rong Zhi had a headache over this.

Liu Chuyu seemed quite resistant towards him, just like when she took care of him for three days and three nights, but when he woke up, he saw Ma Xueyun. He wanted to get closer to her, but he didn't know how. Rong Zhi returned to his room, and Ma Xueyun came to pester him again, annoying him endlessly. On the surface, Qi Heng was Tuoba Yun's attendant, but in fact, he was his cousin.

He knew that Le Yun harbored ill intentions and was angry that Tuoba Yun was infatuated with Le Yun. Tuoba Yun shook his head and laughed. If he were that foolish, he wouldn't have the Kangwang Residence today. He knew Le Yun was Rong Zhi's spy, so why not turn her own scheme against her? Besides, she looked exactly like Huo Xuan, and just for that face, Tuoba Yun wouldn't easily dispose of her.

In Jingzhou, Huo Xuan trained the prisoners for days. She noticed that the gentleman was a doctor named Gu Huan. Because he was dissatisfied with the former Jingzhou governor Governor Liu's brother-in-law preying on innocent young men and women, he poisoned Governor Liu's brother-in-law and his cronies, and was retaliated against by Governor Liu, sentenced to execution after autumn. Wang Ze admired Gu Huan greatly.

Huo Xuan knew Gu Huan was skilled in medicine, so she made him a military doctor in the army. In the evening, Gu Huan went to thank Huo Xuan for her preferential treatment and happened to see a weapon designed by Huo Xuan for fighting enemies - a flamethrower. However, this weapon had problems with limited oil and a short range, so Gu Huan proposed an excellent solution.

He knew this move was risky and might arouse Huo Xuan's suspicion, but he still took the risk to suggest the solution, which instead earned Huo Xuan's appreciation. Wang Ze was always worried about Jingzhou's predicament and was distracted while practicing sword fighting with Huo Xuan. Huo Xuan was formidable. Wang Ze teased her, saying she was more masculine than he was, and with such a lack of gentleness, how would her beloved regent dare to marry her?

Huo Xuan was proud and unrestrained; she wouldn't care about such things. She could marry anyone she liked; who stipulated that only men could marry? As they spoke, a figure flashed through the room, and the blueprints were stolen. Huo Xuan investigated the prison cell and found the blueprints under Gu Huan's bed. However, those blueprints were counterfeited by a spy, attempting to hide the real ones.

The ink used by the spy was different from what Huo Xuan used, and in a moment of carelessness, Huo Xuan noticed the flaw. But Gu Huan was determined to take the blame, which greatly angered Huo Xuan. Anyone Gu Huan would protect must have a close relationship with him. Huo Xuan pointed directly at He Xi, as Gu Huan had once saved He Xi's life in prison, and they had an excellent relationship.

After dealing with He Xi, Huo Xuan scolded Gu Huan for being foolish. If she hadn't found out that He Xi was the spy today, and the weapon design plans had been leaked, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Gu Huan knew he had made a mistake and sincerely repented. Huo Xuan, a woman, fought on the battlefield, which Gu Huan greatly admired. A Cuju match was to be held in the palace.

Lan Ruo specifically prepared clothes for Liu Chuyu and reminded Liu Chuyu to take good care of Rong Zhi. Actually, Lan Ruo didn't understand why Rong Zhi brought soldiers to participate in the match. Liu Chuyu told her that Rong Zhi did it to prevent Tuoba Yun from gaining all the glory alone. Lan Ruo saw Liu Chuyu as usually carefree, but didn't expect her to have such a keen and perceptive mind.

On Rong Zhi's side, Liu Chuyu requested to participate, and Tuoba Yun's team added the female relative Le Yun. Tuoba Hong threw the polo ball high, and with a command, both teams moved to compete for it. Both Rong Zhi and Tuoba Yun were agile, dribbling past opponents without hesitation. The competition on the field was fierce. Off the field, the verbal sparring between Concubine Qi and the Empress Dowager was no less intense than the match itself.

Liu Chuyu used Shen Yu's momentum, flying high and was about to catch the ball, but Le Yun flew up and knocked her down. Seeing Liu Chuyu about to fall, Rong Zhi hurriedly pushed a nearby guard out to serve as a human cushion for Liu Chuyu.

Episode 27 Recap

Rong Zhi kicked Shen Yu over to serve as a human cushion for Liu Chuyu, while Tuoba Yun truly caught Le Yun as she fell from a height. Compared to this, Rong Zhi's rescue of Liu Chuyu was not very considerate. After such an incident, the female participants withdrew, and the others continued the match. Rong Zhi ultimately scored a goal with one kick, winning against Tuoba Yun.

Tuoba Yun didn't take the football match to heart, but he was very puzzled by Le Yun's sudden act of colliding with Liu Chuyu. Le Yun smiled faintly, saying that she just wanted to test Rong Zhi's feelings for Liu Chuyu.

In Le Yun's view, there were two possibilities for Rong Zhi not personally saving Liu Chuyu: one was that Rong Zhi didn't care about Liu Chuyu, and the second was that he valued Liu Chuyu too much and feared others would notice, which would be disadvantageous to her. The news of Liu Chuyu being injured and saved by Shen Yu reached Ma Xueyun, and a wicked plan formed in her mind as her eyes darted about.

She had people waylay Qing Yue and Lan Ruo, and also had someone give Liu Chuyu an incense burner with an aphrodisiac effect, under the pretense of calming her nerves. At the same time, she lured Shen Yu to Danfeng Xuan. Shen Yu chased an unidentified figure into Liu Chuyu's room. As soon as he entered, the door was locked from the outside.

At this moment, Liu Chuyu was dizzy and feverish, and Shen Yu was not in much better condition. Ma Xueyun calculated that the time was right and went aggressively to Danfeng Xuan to catch them in the act. However, when she confidently lifted Liu Chuyu's quilt, she saw Rong Zhi's expressionless face. Ma Xueyun was shocked and flustered, and was dismissed by Rong Zhi's command.

Not long ago, Rong Zhi accidentally overheard Ma Xueyun's personal maid talking to another maid in the corridor about delivering an incense burner to Liu Chuyu. He realized something was amiss and hurried to Danfeng Xuan, pinpointed Liu Chuyu's sleeping acupoint, and woke Shen Yu. If Rong Zhi hadn't arrived in time, Liu Chuyu and Shen Yu would have been unable to clear their names.

Gazing at Liu Chuyu's beautiful sleeping face, Rong Zhi leaned down and gently kissed her forehead. Afterward, in front of Ma Xueyun, he had the maid who delivered the incense burner to Liu Chuyu beaten to death with a staff. Although he didn't explicitly say anything, Ma Xueyun's face turned pale, knowing that Rong Zhi had uncovered the truth.

After Liu Chuyu woke up and learned of Rong Zhi's handling of the situation, she was very displeased and wanted to pursue the matter to the end. Lan Ruo stopped her in time, explaining that Ma Zhongliang was the current Prime Minister, and one should give consideration for the sake of others' connections. Rong Zhi had already given Ma Xueyun a warning, and as it stood, this was the best possible solution.

In Jingzhou City, Huo Xuan planned to open the city gates tomorrow and fight the rebels. Her subordinates were harassing the common people. Huo Xuan, being impartial, severely reprimanded them. However, a sudden turn of events occurred: the very common people Huo Xuan had just saved turned out to be spies, and in a blink of an eye, they stabbed her, hitting a vital spot. Huo Xuan was severely wounded and likely wouldn't survive.

Before Gu Huan treated her, she transferred command to Wang Ze. As soon as Huo Xuan fell, city officials and prisoner soldiers protested en masse, some even causing a commotion in front of Huo Xuan's room. Wang Ze suppressed a group of people. Before he could even take a breath, Gu Huan's voice came from inside the room, announcing that Huo Xuan had died. The news of Huo Xuan's death quickly spread throughout Jingzhou.

Xue Zhao received the news and sent a letter to the Jingzhou Prefect, claiming that if they handed over Huo Xuan's body, he would spare them. Prefect Yang and the other officials had long intended to surrender, but due to Huo Xuan's strong presence, they never had the opportunity. Now, exchanging Huo Xuan for all their lives was something they eagerly sought. The next day, Xue Zhao's army arrived at the city gates, and he commanded his subordinates to prepare.

As soon as Huo Xuan's body was confirmed, he would use the excuse that the body was fake to invade Jingzhou. Xue Zhao's plan was excellent, but when he saw the coffin Wang Ze brought out was empty, he was dumbfounded. Huo Xuan leaped high from the city wall, catching Xue Zhao completely off guard. In terms of martial arts, Xue Zhao was far inferior to Huo Xuan and was quickly beheaded by her.

With Xue Zhao's death, the rebel army became leaderless; those who surrendered did so, and the rest were merely a scattered mob, no longer a threat. Huo Xuan's strategy of faking her death and surviving a desperate situation was brilliantly executed. Not only did she completely eliminate the rebels, but she also exposed the officials who harbored disloyal intentions. This time, she would personally escort these individuals back to Pingcheng to await His Majesty's judgment. Finally, she could return.

Huo Xuan's face held a relaxed smile. Yesterday, when she was critically wounded and on the verge of death, all she thought about was Rong Zhi. Now she could finally go back to see him. Meanwhile, at the Regent's Estate in Pingcheng, Liu Chuyu was suffering from a headache, tormented by the difficult scriptures. The Buddha's Birthday Celebration was very important, and as the Regent's Consort, Liu Chuyu had to memorize the scriptures. Rong Zhi watched her stumble over the words, becoming quite angry. His tone grew harsher, provoking Liu Chuyu to protest loudly.

Episode 28 Recap

Ma Xueyun went to deliver medicinal cuisine to Rong Zhi. She saw him supervising Liu Chuyu studying, and feeling lost, her hand lost strength and she dropped the food bowl, breaking it. She pretended to clean up, intentionally cutting her hand to make Rong Zhi send her back. Before leaving, she didn't forget to give Liu Chuyu a triumphant smile.

Although Liu Chuyu was unwilling to argue with Ma Xueyun, seeing Rong Zhi care for her, she still felt a sense of loss. Rong Zhi accompanied Ma Xueyun back, but his heart was not with her. Ma Xueyun was unwilling to force him further and agreed to let him go back. Rong Zhi left without any lingering attachment. Ma Xueyun smiled sadly; she had always been deceiving herself, for Rong Zhi's heart had long ceased to be with her.

Rong Zhi returned to the study and saw Liu Chuyu asleep, slumped over the desk from exhaustion. The night was cold, so Rong Zhi gently draped a cloak over her. Fearing she would notice his feelings, he specifically ordered his aide, Zhao Changshi, to remove the cloak before Liu Chuyu woke up. He also told him to replace the difficult scriptures with simpler, easier-to-understand texts.

Rong Zhi had always been in poor health, and recently, busy with state affairs, he fell ill again. Ma Xueyun went to care for him. However, upon seeing Rong Zhi grab the maid Wan'er's hand while unconscious, she transferred Wan'er to her own Fangcao Pavilion and stepped on Wan'er's hand with a broken teacup to vent her anger. Rong Zhi had exhausted himself into illness again. Liu Chuyu was concerned but also angry that he didn't take care of himself.

She had clearly been the first to visit, but Ma Xueyun brought a bowl of medicine and pushed her aside. When Rong Zhi woke up, Ma Xueyun gently fed him the medicine. Rong Zhi had always had a sensitive palate, and he tasted a sweet, bloody flavor in the medicine. He questioned her, and only then did Ma Xueyun reveal the truth: she had added a piece of flesh from her hand as a medicinal primer.

Upon hearing this, Rong Zhi vomited profusely. Liu Chuyu couldn't bear to watch, turned, and left, thinking, "Has Ma Xueyun gone mad?" Liu Chuyu was bumped into by Wan'er in the corridor and unintentionally saw the wound on her arm. Coupled with Wan'er's deliberate guidance, Liu Chuyu thought Ma Xueyun had cut the maid's flesh to claim credit. Righteously indignant, she dragged Wan'er to confront Ma Xueyun. Liu Chuyu returned with Wan'er.

Wan'er timidly recounted how Ma Xueyun had ordered her to cut off a piece of flesh as a medicinal primer last night. Wan'er's words were earnest, and Ma Xueyun didn't argue. Instead, she directly lifted the gauze on her own arm, revealing a bloody and mangled wound. Her maid, Bixi, seized the opportunity to sow discord, claiming that Wan'er had been instigated by Liu Chuyu to frame Ma Xueyun.

When Qing Yue saw Bixi falsely accusing Liu Chuyu, she stepped forward and slapped her. Liu Chuyu, as the princess consort, would not tolerate a servant like Bixi making groundless speculations. She said that this time it would be forgiven, but next time she wouldn't be so lenient. Regarding the matter of cutting flesh, Liu Chuyu believed Wan'er, while Ma Xueyun held her own side of the story.

Rong Zhi did not wish to investigate the matter thoroughly and ordered Wan'er to be given twenty strokes with a plank and expelled from the residence. Liu Chuyu was practically fuming with anger at Rong Zhi; how could he be so indiscriminately unjust? Meanwhile, Ma Xueyun was in quite a good mood. Wan'er was a person granted by the Empress Dowager, so only Rong Zhi could order her expulsion. Last night, she had deliberately made Wan'er cut her flesh.

Wan'er, wanting to rise in status, could only go to Liu Chuyu to deal with Ma Xueyun. Therefore, Ma Xueyun had cruelly cut her own flesh precisely to drive Wan'er away and, at the same time, gain Rong Zhi's sympathy. Huo Xuan was eager to return to Pingcheng. She separated from the main army, taking only twenty personal guards ahead of them. They stopped to rest in a village near Ancheng.

The villagers, knowing Huo Xuan had won a great victory, specially hosted them, with an old grandmother personally attending to them. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside; many unidentified soldiers arrived with ill intent. As Huo Xuan had few people, she could only leave first with Wang Ze. Upon reaching a body of water, Huo Xuan suddenly stopped. If that group of people was after her, and given their numerical superiority, she certainly couldn't outrun them.

Therefore, she decided to return the way they came, creating the illusion that she had, in a moment of desperation, jumped into the water and escaped. Huo Xuan and Wang Ze cautiously returned to the village. The entire village was now lifeless, with only the sound of a child crying coming from a water jar. Huo Xuan lifted the lid and found a weeping child. The child told her that all the women in the village had been taken away.

Those people killed the men and took the women because Huo Xuan was a woman, and they feared she might hide among the women to escape. Huo Xuan confirmed that this group of people was indeed after her. She could not let innocent people suffer in her stead. Knowing the road ahead was perilous, she still pursued them. When she arrived, the soldiers were about to execute the women.

Huo Xuan stopped them just in time, deciding to exchange her own life for theirs. At the same time, on the streets of Pingcheng, Le Yun was strolling with great interest. Qi Heng had been following her all along. Qi Heng suspected Le Yun was a spy and constantly sought to find her weaknesses. Upon returning to the residence, Le Yun pretended to invite Qi Heng for tea. As Tuoba Yun passed by, she fell onto Qi Heng, creating the illusion that Qi Heng was making improper advances toward her.

Episode 29 Recap

Today, Le Yun put on a show where Tuoba Yun demanded Qi Heng apologize to her. Although Qi Heng was unwilling, Tuoba Yun had given the order, so he had no choice but to comply. Seeing Qi Heng's defeated expression, Le Yun smiled happily; she wanted Qi Heng to also experience the feeling of being wrongly accused.

Meanwhile, at the Regent's Residence, Rong Zhi led the elaborately dressed Liu Chuyu to attend the Sakyamuni Festival, while Ma Xueyun, wearing a specially custom-made gown, could only watch them walk away. Last night, when Rong Zhi told Ma Xueyun that only the Princess Consort could attend the festival, Ma Xueyun was somewhat distraught.

She tearfully complained that Rong Zhi couldn't give her the title of official wife, but no matter how much she cried or begged, Rong Zhi did not relent and take her. Ma Xueyun fiercely pinched the self-inflicted wound on her arm, reminding herself to remember today's pain. On the solemn and grand festival, Liu Chuyu represented the Song Dynasty on stage to speak during the Buddha worship, expressing the sincerity of the Song and Wei in forming an alliance.

Liu Chuyu was initially nervous, but seeing Rong Zhi's encouraging smile, she suddenly felt at ease. Although she did not recite according to the designated speech draft, every word and sentence of hers represented the sincerity of the Song Dynasty. Liu Chuyu was speaking well when suddenly, three sky lanterns on the altar spontaneously ignited. Liu Chuyu was startled and panicked, but fortunately, Rong Zhi rushed onto the stage in time to save her.

The Grand Shaman said this was due to Liu Chuyu's insincerity in worshipping Buddha. Just at this moment, Prime Minister Ma Zhongliang reported that General Sima Jun, deeply trusted by the Song Emperor, had led his men to massacre over four hundred people in Wei's Ancheng, and Huo Xuan was coincidentally in Ancheng and was captured alive by Sima Jun while trying to save the people.

Tuoba Yun seized the opportunity to say that Liu Chuyu was a Song spy, who came to Wei to infiltrate Rong Zhi's side and steal intelligence. Both the Grand Shaman and Tuoba Yun were convinced that Liu Chuyu was a spy, and coupled with Huo Xuan's incident, no matter how much Rong Zhi pleaded, Tuoba Hong could not show mercy to Liu Chuyu.

He ordered Liu Chuyu to be handed over to the Grand Shaman for custody and to be executed ten days later. Qing Yue heard the news and impulsively wanted to save Liu Chuyu, but was stopped by Rong Zhi and Shen Yu. This situation was very tricky, with one link leading to another, as if determined to put Liu Chuyu to death. However, Rong Zhi believed that the Grand Shaman would be a breakthrough point.

He seemed to have always despised the Song Dynasty and clearly targeted Liu Chuyu in the matter of the spontaneously igniting lanterns, but as long as he changed his statement, Liu Chuyu would still have a glimmer of hope. Rong Zhi went to the Grand Shaman's residence to request an audience, but was blocked even before entering the gate. He then learned of the Jingzhao Mansion's widespread arrests of Song people and the torturing to extract confessions.

The Jingzhao Governor was Tuoba Yun's man. In a fit of desperation, Rong Zhi went to confront Tuoba Yun. They clashed fiercely and fought. After Tuoba Yun left, Rong Zhi could no longer hold on, vomited blood, and fell unconscious. Ma Xueyun lit an incense to calm the nerves in Rong Zhi's room, making him sleep for an entire day and night. Now, every minute and second was crucial for Liu Chuyu.

Shen Yu had no choice but to loudly call out from outside the room to wake Rong Zhi. After Rong Zhi woke up, Ma Xueyun insisted on blocking him, preventing him from leaving. Ma Xueyun's unreasonable and troublesome behavior made Rong Zhi very angry, and he reprimanded her severely. Rong Zhi recalled his first meeting with Ma Xueyun; back then, Ma Xueyun's words about a broken kite flying higher had caught his attention.

Ma Xueyun always wanted to be preeminent in everything. At that time, Rong Zhi used her ambition to make a deal with her, but at some unknown point, the proud Ma Xueyun had changed. Rong Zhi was very worried about Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu was intelligent yet restless, and Rong Zhi was concerned she might do something unexpected.

At this time, at the Grand Shaman's residence, the Grand Shaman firmly believed that the Song and Wei would not have peace; the initial marriage alliance between Song and Wei was a mistake. His scheme to frame Liu Chuyu during this Buddha worship festival was to bring the relationship between Song and Wei back to square one. That night, Liu Chuyu escaped and hid under the bed, making the guards believe she had fled.

When they went to pursue her, she crawled out from under the bed and ran, successfully breaking into the Grand Shaman's room. She was busy questioning the Grand Shaman about framing her and didn't notice his abnormality. By the time she noticed, it was too late; a dagger was plunged into a vital spot of the Grand Shaman, and he was already dead.

The ritual official by the Grand Shaman's side had originally intended to kill the Grand Shaman and frame the Song people. Liu Chuyu's unexpected arrival saved him the trouble of finding someone else. The water Liu Chuyu had drunk earlier had already been poisoned by the ritual official, leaving her completely weak at this moment.

Episode 30 Recap

Liu Chuyu was dragged by the ritual official to the Grand Priest, her hand forced to grip the dagger. In the palace, the Empress Dowager was interceding with Tuoba Hong for Liu Chuyu when a servant suddenly reported that Liu Chuyu had killed the Grand Priest. Rong Zhi, upon hearing the news, swept everything off his desk in a fit of rage. The situation was too tricky, and he couldn't think of a way to save Liu Chuyu immediately.

It was Sima Jun who had captured Huo Xuan alive in Ancheng. He was talking with the Head of Tianji Pavilion when soldiers suddenly reported that Huo Xuan had escaped. The escaped Huo Xuan was actually hiding in Sima Jun's tent at that moment. Taking advantage of the time Sima Jun and the people from Tianji Pavilion spent searching, Huo Xuan unexpectedly captured the Head of Tianji Pavilion.

Huo Xuan held a dagger to the Head of Tianji Pavilion's neck, surrounded by Sima Jun's men. The Head of Tianji Pavilion tempted Huo Xuan to surrender to Great Song, speaking persuasively. Huo Xuan was certain that this drama of Song soldiers killing Wei people was designed by him. Given the Head of Tianji Pavilion's noble status, Huo Xuan used him to threaten Sima Jun, who could only let her go.

However, the horse he arranged for Huo Xuan had been fed croton beans, so it wouldn't go far. Sima Jun secretly pursued Huo Xuan. After seeing her abandon the Head of Tianji Pavilion, he led his men in pursuit and even shot her with an arrow, seemingly killing her. When he went to collect the spoils of war, he was astonished to find that the dead person was actually the Head of Tianji Pavilion.

At this moment, Huo Xuan, dressed in the Head of Tianji Pavilion's clothes, had killed people from Tianji Pavilion, seized a horse, and hurried to rendezvous with Wang Ze. Her previous injuries had not yet healed, but it was not advisable to stay there long. She took Wang Ze and rushed back to Pingcheng overnight. The ten-day period had passed. Liu Chuyu was brought to the execution platform.

With things having come to this point, Liu Chuyu no longer wished to defend herself. She was just a little sad; having been allied with Rong Zhi for so long, she had developed feelings for him, but he had been unusually cold towards her. Just as the executioner's blade was about to fall, Qing Yue swung her sword, knocking the blade away. It was at this opportune moment that Huo Xuan returned, bringing a secret letter stolen from Sima Jun.

The letter was written in Xianbei script, and its content roughly stated that Liu Chuyu had colluded with Sima Jun to capture Huo Xuan alive. Tuoba Yun, seeing this letter, thought he had caught Liu Chuyu red-handed. Huo Xuan burst out laughing; both Liu Chuyu and Sima Jun were people of Song, how could they write a letter in Xianbei script?

Huo Xuan was certain this letter was meant for her to see, and her escape was likely Sima Jun intentionally letting her go. Even Sima Jun accidentally killing the Head of Tianji Pavilion was probably just a ruse to mislead her. Huo Xuan's matter was resolved, but Tuoba Yun still wanted to hold Liu Chuyu accountable for killing the Grand Priest. Liu Chuyu, at this point, had a strong will to live.

She dragged out the ritual official who had framed her that day, tore open the front of his clothes, revealing a large palm print on his chest. This was the blow Liu Chuyu had struck with all her might before she fainted that day, specifically to prove her innocence someday. Liu Chuyu had predicted that the ritual official, having committed murder, would not dare to admit to having been in the Grand Priest's room.

Her palm print perfectly proved that the ritual official had indeed been there. This ritual official was one of Tuoba Yun's men. Seeing his plot exposed, Tuoba Yun became anxious. Fortunately, the ritual official committed suicide in a moment of desperation, and the matter was thus dropped. The matter of Liu Chuyu's marriage alliance with Great Wei had originally been manipulated by the Head of Tianji Pavilion, something Tian Rujing was unaware of.

After he found out, he went to question the Head of Tianji Pavilion. The Head of Tianji Pavilion was ill-intentioned, constantly trying to stir up chaos. Had it not been for his master's sake, Tian Rujing would have long since broken ties with the Head of Tianji Pavilion.

The Head of Tianji Pavilion was not angered by his questioning and even promised that if Tian Rujing could bring Liu Chuyu back from Great Wei to Great Song, he would abandon his plans to incite chaos. Tian Rujing, wearing a bamboo hat, arrived in Pingcheng. Hearing people on the streets speak disrespectfully of Liu Chuyu, he subtly taught them a lesson. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu was angry that Rong Zhi had been hot and cold towards her before.

Now that her injustice was cleared, Rong Zhi not only offered no comfort but also reprimanded her for trifling with her own life and passively treating the matter of the Grand Priest's death. Liu Chuyu felt extremely wronged. No sooner had Rong Zhi left than she took Qing Yue out shopping. Rong Zhi went to Huo Xuan's residence. The two had not seen each other for many days. Huo Xuan immediately sparred with him in swordplay.

Before they could exchange many words, Shen Yu entered to report that Liu Chuyu had left the residence without permission. Rong Zhi had no choice but to leave in a hurry. Huo Xuan watched Rong Zhi's anxious demeanor and smiled subtly. It seemed Liu Chuyu was quite a handful. Huo Xuan was in a good mood and went out onto the street with Wang Ze. Liu Chuyu wandered to an overpass.

An old woman was sitting on the steps and asked her to help retrieve some shoes from a distance. Liu Chuyu, being kind-hearted, fetched them for her. The old woman then pressed her luck, asking Liu Chuyu to help her put on the shoes. Liu Chuyu had originally intended to see her good deed through, but upon catching a fleeting glance in the old woman's eyes, she stopped her movements.

Episode 31 Recap

Liu Chuyu's hand had just touched the old woman's foot when she knew she had been deceived. How could an old person's foot be so soft? Liu Chuyu overturned the old woman with a shove. Unexpectedly, the old woman was very agile, performing a somersault and landing steadily. She then casually took off her headscarf, revealing Huo Xuan's bright and heroic face. Huo Xuan invited Liu Chuyu for a drink.

Liu Chuyu's impression of her was very different from what she had imagined. As they drank, they were chatting happily, but then Rong Zhi was suddenly mentioned, and Huo Xuan's tone became a little off. If Wang Ze hadn't repeatedly coughed to signal her, Huo Xuan might have said who knows what. Rong Zhi searched for a long time before he found the restaurant. Hearing that Liu Chuyu was drinking with Huo Xuan, he was very anxious.

When he rushed in, the room was empty. Huo Xuan had already taken Liu Chuyu and left through the window as soon as she received news of Rong Zhi's arrival. Huo Xuan and Liu Chuyu sat on the rooftop, enjoying their wine and conversing happily.

Looking at the children playing joyfully not far away, Huo Xuan told Liu Chuyu that this was why she insisted on going to the battlefield; she hoped the common people could live in peace and contentment. Liu Chuyu admired Huo Xuan's heroic spirit, that of a woman who was no less capable than a man. Liu Chuyu felt that if Huo Xuan were a man, she would definitely fall in love with her.

Huo Xuan burst into laughter upon hearing this. The two of them enjoyed the breeze with the bright moon overhead, and inadvertently drank too much wine. When Qing Yue came out of the restaurant with Wang Ze after having eaten and drunk her fill, she saw Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan staggering along, supporting each other in their drunken state. Wang Ze took Huo Xuan back. Liu Chuyu, swaying unsteadily, seemed to see Rong Zhi.

Rong Zhi wanted to take her home, but she struggled free, not wanting to go back. She had no home here at all. When she was wronged, she wanted to explain, but she knew that no one would listen. She had traveled thousands of miles to marry into Da Wei, and Rong Zhi was her husband, yet he didn't believe her. Who else could she rely on? She was truly so wronged and so sad.

Rong Zhi had never known that he had made Liu Chuyu suffer so much. He hurried forward and tightly embraced the sobbing Liu Chuyu, feeling heartbroken and self-reproachful. In Kang Wangfu, Le Yun accidentally discovered a portrait of Huo Xuan tucked inside a book by Tuoba Yun. She looked exactly like Huo Xuan, but she couldn't ride horses or shoot arrows.

When she realized that she might just be Huo Xuan's substitute, the words from the maid earlier about her being the Prince Kang's sole favorite seemed like a joke. Le Yun tightly gripped the hairpin in her hand, her fingers bleeding as if she didn't even notice, because it couldn't compare to the pain in her heart.

As soon as Huo Xuan returned, Le Yun noticed that the people in the residence were looking at her strangely, and Qi Heng continued to mock her relentlessly. Meanwhile, Tuoba Yun was at Huo Xuan's residence. Huo Xuan had returned to Pingcheng wounded, and Tuoba Yun, worried about her, specifically brought a doctor to treat her. However, Huo Xuan was very unappreciative. Tuoba Yun genuinely wanted to be kind to her, but she disliked seeing him.

Tuoba Yun didn't get angry; he left the doctor and departed himself. At the same time, Liu Chuyu had been suffering from a terrible headache since she woke up early in the morning, a typical hangover. The thought of getting drunk in front of Huo Xuan last night made her head ache even more; it was truly too impolite. Liu Chuyu thought of the children at Hong Xiu's place. After getting ready, she hurried to the outskirts.

She saw Hong Xiu worrying about the children's livelihood, and after learning that Hong Xiu danced in a tea house opera troupe, she taught her a very popular dance. Rong Zhi went to look for Liu Chuyu. After arriving at the tea house, he didn't see the person he wanted to meet. Instead, he was attacked by a white-robed masked assailant who suddenly appeared. The tea house instantly descended into chaos.

Liu Chuyu entered from outside and her heart immediately rose into her throat when she saw this scene. The white-robed assassin was Tian Rujing, who had suddenly appeared in Da Wei a few days ago. He had come, firstly, to take Liu Chuyu back, and secondly, to kill Rong Zhi. Seeing that the situation today made it impossible to kill Rong Zhi immediately, Tian Rujing took advantage of the chaos and carried Liu Chuyu away.

In the peach grove where cherry blossoms fell in profusion, Liu Chuyu woke up, feeling dazed. She was surprised to see Tian Rujing. She wanted to go back, and Tian Rujing didn't stop her, but he was certain that if she returned unharmed, it would inevitably arouse suspicion from others, Rong Zhi included. Tian Rujing wanted Liu Chuyu to see Rong Zhi's true colors as soon as possible.

Although Liu Chuyu disagreed with Tian Rujing, she couldn't help but feel uneasy. After she returned, the first thing Rong Zhi asked her upon seeing her was how she got back. Liu Chuyu suddenly remembered Tian Rujing's words, and indeed, Rong Zhi didn't believe her. Her heart suddenly turned cold, and she felt very uncomfortable. In fact, Rong Zhi still cared for Liu Chuyu.

After he came out of Danfeng Xuan, he instructed Shen Yu to conceal the true news of Liu Chuyu's return to the residence, publicly announcing that Liu Chuyu had been rescued by Shen Yu and his men. Ma Xueyun heard that Liu Chuyu had actually returned, and felt indignant in her heart. She had news spread, claiming that Liu Chuyu had been defiled by the assassin. Such rumors quickly spread throughout Pingcheng.

Tuoba Yun guessed that Rong Zhi's 'backyard was on fire' (meaning trouble at home) and seized the opportunity to set a trap for Rong Zhi. Just as Tuoba Hong's birthday was approaching, Tuoba Yun secretly killed Tuoba Hong's favorite pearl fish, which were kept in Rong Zhi's fish pond. Huo Xuan heard the rumors about Liu Chuyu and the assassin on the street and rushed to Rong Zhi's residence.

Regarding the originator of the rumors, Rong Zhi guessed it was Tuoba Yun. However, based on Huo Xuan's understanding of Tuoba Yun, this didn't seem like his style. In fact, Huo Xuan knew that Rong Zhi had already figured out who was behind it, but simply chose not to say it. At this moment, Shen Yu suddenly came to report that all the pearl fish in the pond had died.

Pearl fish, also known as longevity fish, were Tuoba Hong's favorite. This clearly indicated that someone wanted to cause trouble for Rong Zhi before Tuoba Hong's birthday feast. Furthermore, many precious fish fry were also raised in the pond and were affected this time. These fish fry were the residence's largest source of income; without them, it would likely be difficult to manage various expenditures in the court next year.

Rong Zhi instructed Shen Yu to thoroughly investigate the pearl fish incident, while he himself went to see Ma Xueyun. He truly couldn't understand Ma Xueyun now; she would actually defame Liu Chuyu's reputation out of jealousy.

Episode 32 Recap

Facing Rong Zhi's interrogation, Ma Xueyun refused to admit anything. Rong Zhi was not a soft-hearted person; no matter how Ma Xueyun feigned ignorance, he would not compromise. Seeing that Rong Zhi was relentless, she simply stopped pretending, changed her tactic, and declared her love for Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi found it laughable. From the beginning, there was only a transaction between him and Ma Xueyun.

He needed Ma Zhongliang's support, while Ma Xueyun coveted wealth and power and wanted to marry him. Now Ma Xueyun was constantly professing her love for him, but she had wantonly ruined Liu Chuyu's reputation, which also tarnished his reputation, even causing him to lose face in court. At the time, Ma Xueyun hadn't thought much, only wanting to satisfy her momentary gratification. Now, seeing Rong Zhi's livid face, she realized how detrimental this matter was to him.

Rong Zhi did not wish to say more to Ma Xueyun. He liked intelligent people, and Ma Xueyun had clearly overstepped. Moreover, in his heart, there was only power; he would not fall in love with any woman. To please Huo Xuan, Tuoba Yun specially made an exquisite dress for her, but Huo Xuan didn't even take a close look and pierced the dress with a sword. Just then, a sword arrived from Rong Zhi's residence.

The scabbard was made of pearl fish skin, and it was said that the pearl fish breeding was successful this year, so the extra fish were specially used to make a scabbard for Huo Xuan. Seeing the fish skin scabbard, Tuoba Yun's expression turned strange for a moment, and he left in a hurry. Tuoba Yun went to the palace to see his imperial concubine mother, and happened to find her angry.

Seeing the pearl fish skin belt sent by the Empress Dowager to his imperial concubine mother, Tuoba Yun sneered. Had Rong Zhi's pearl fish really been successfully bred? Then all his efforts on the fish would have been in vain. At Rong Zhi's residence, Ma Zhongliang angrily came to confront Rong Zhi, demanding that he immediately lift Ma Xueyun's house arrest, even threatening him with their cooperation.

But Rong Zhi's attitude was exceptionally firm; Ma Xueyun had done wrong, and such a punishment was what she deserved. Ma Zhongliang hadn't expected Rong Zhi to be so unyielding and vowed to make Rong Zhi regret it. News unfavorable to Rong Zhi was good news for Tuoba Yun. Qi Heng, gleeful upon hearing about the fallout between Ma Zhongliang and Rong Zhi, went to report the news to Tuoba Yun.

Le Yun brought tea over, and Tuoba Yun immediately stopped the conversation, patiently sipping his tea, seemingly with no change in his affection for Le Yun. In court today, Ma Zhongliang accused Rong Zhi of distributing pearl fish skin products to the Empress Dowager, generals, and others, inflating prices, leading to idleness and loss of ambition, and even charged Rong Zhi with the crime of destabilizing the empire.

Rong Zhi's attitude was good; he admitted his mistake and, to show his resolve, decided to sell the fish pond. In this way, Rong Zhi silently resolved the crisis of all the pearl fish dying. Tuoba Yun, upon hearing that Rong Zhi was selling the fish pond, found it profitable and secretly bought it. When he saw that the pearls on the pearl fish were fake, he instantly had an epiphany.

Rong Zhi's pearl fish had all died long ago, and sending fish skin ornaments everywhere was just to mislead him. And the fallout between Ma Zhongliang and Rong Zhi was probably also staged for him. Tuoba Yun sneered repeatedly; this time, he had lost again. Tuoba Yun went to find Huo Xuan again.

This time he lost, largely because he became jealous and distressed when he saw Huo Xuan liked the fish skin scabbard and destroyed the dress he had given her. Tuoba Yun genuinely liked Huo Xuan, and he wanted Huo Xuan to give him a chance. Huo Xuan, as usual, rejected him mercilessly. Being rejected repeatedly, Tuoba Yun was truly heartbroken.

Huo Xuan was always so proud and unattainable, but he dared to bet that Huo Xuan would one day regret it, because Rong Zhi, whom she loved, would not fall in love with her. Wounded by Huo Xuan, Tuoba Yun returned to Le Yun for comfort. Seeing his low spirits and unwillingness to accept defeat, Le Yun comforted him wholeheartedly. Her words about staying with him for life and helping him ascend to the throne deeply moved Tuoba Yun.

On the other side, at Rong Zhi's residence, Liu Chuyu wanted to go out. Rong Zhi, concerned for her safety, asked Shen Yu to keep an eye on her all day and forbid her from leaving. This was a difficult task, and Shen Yu had quite a headache.

Episode 33 Recap

Rong Zhi reminded Shen Yu to start with Qing Yue; as long as he handled Qing Yue, he could stop Liu Chuyu. Shen Yu asked Lan Ruo about Qing Yue's preferences, but Lan Ruo thought he had ill intentions towards Qing Yue and refused to help him, no matter what Shen Yu said. Shen Yu had no choice but to figure things out on his own.

He sent flowers to Qing Yue, but she turned out to be allergic to pollen; he wanted to teach her to read, but she drew a fake mustache on his face; Shen Yu then tried to please Qing Yue by giving her a bow, but as soon as she heard him say he wanted to inquire about Liu Chuyu's whereabouts, she immediately aimed an arrow at him.

After failing repeatedly, Shen Yu finally offered Qing Yue a roasted chicken when she was hungry and sneaking radishes late at night. He managed to say a few more words to her, but Qing Yue remained unresponsive. Seeing this, Shen Yu had no choice but to tell her the truth: he just wanted Qing Yue to inform him promptly when Liu Chuyu wanted to go out, as this was also for Liu Chuyu's own good.

Qing Yue knew he was thinking for her princess, but his method of gathering information was wrong, and he even tried to use his charm on her. What if she genuinely fell for him? Wouldn't she be deceived? Qing Yue, holding the roasted chicken Shen Yu gave her, was somewhat happy. When Liu Chuyu saw her upon her return, she subconsciously hid the roasted chicken behind her back, her face slightly flushed.

Liu Chuyu learned that it was from Shen Yu and, seeing Qing Yue's expression, she became worried about Qing Yue's romantic prospects. She didn't want Qing Yue to have a difficult time in love, as love is a very complicated matter, and falling in love with the wrong person can be very painful. Liu Chuyu was originally advising Qing Yue, but the last sentence seemed to be about herself and Rong Zhi.

Being confined to the manor every day, Liu Chuyu was fed up. She wanted to seize the opportunity of watching a shadow play to escape and play outside with Qing Yue. Although Qing Yue hadn't agreed to help Shen Yu, she still sent him a message, telling him that Liu Chuyu wanted to go out. Rong Zhi received the news and chuckled that Liu Chuyu was so impatient, unable to stay put so quickly.

Rong Zhi knew Liu Chuyu missed her hometown, so he specially prepared a shadow play for her. The character in the play was Liu Chuyu's imperial uncle, and his demeanor and tone were incredibly lifelike. Liu Chuyu knew it wasn't her imperial uncle, but she missed home so much that she couldn't help but express her homesickness. As she spoke, she suddenly seemed to wake up with a start, tearing down the curtain and seeing the puppets behind it.

Rong Zhi arranged this play to alleviate Liu Chuyu's homesickness. He knew Liu Chuyu felt wronged and missed home greatly, and since he couldn't let her return, he could only come up with small ideas to cheer her up. Liu Chuyu was soft-hearted, and she already liked Rong Zhi. Seeing Rong Zhi's thoughtfulness towards her, her previous awkwardness vanished. She watched the shadow play with Rong Zhi, their laughter continuous. Rong Zhi lifted Ma Xueyun's house arrest.

Ma Xueyun was happy and specifically changed into a beautiful dress to see him. Unexpectedly, seeing Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu watching the play side by side, she subconsciously clenched her fists. Returning to her courtyard, she ruined all the flowers she had planted to please Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi, who had been in a leisurely mood, personally painting a portrait for Liu Chuyu, became annoyed when his chief clerk reported on Ma Xueyun's situation.

He instructed the clerk to remind Ma Xueyun to behave herself and preferably return to her maiden home for a few days. The portrait was not yet finished, and he had lost interest. Ma Xueyun, however, had been blinded by jealousy. She rushed to Liu Chuyu and spoke wildly, telling her that Rong Zhi only coveted power, and that both she herself and Liu Chuyu were merely stepping stones for his advancement. Upon hearing this, Liu Chuyu's brows furrowed tightly.

Emperor Tuoba Hong of Wei had always been obsessed with Buddhist affairs and had recently stopped visiting the imperial harem almost entirely. Upon learning this, Tuoba Yun had an idea. He searched everywhere for beautiful women, intending to present them to Tuoba Hong. At Tuoba Hong's birthday banquet, Tuoba Yun first pleased him by presenting a Buddha statue he had personally carved, and then had a beauty perform a dance.

If Tuoba Hong accepted this beauty, he would likely be lost in a world of beauties from then on. Liu Chuyu watched anxiously from the side, fearing that Tuoba Yun's scheme would succeed. Rong Zhi reassured her, telling her he had a backup plan. On the day he was assassinated, Rong Zhi had seen Hong Xiu and her group perform the Fusang dance, finding it very novel. Today, he invited Hong Xiu and her troupe to perform the Fusang dance.

This dance was unique, and Hong Xiu was a beauty with red lips and white teeth. After she finished dancing, Tuoba Hong immediately conferred upon her the title of Noble Consort. Tuoba Yun's strategy of presenting beauties failed, so Empress Dowager Qi wanted to turn the tide. She specifically ordered a deer, fed ginseng for a month, to be prepared.

It was freshly killed when presented, with the intention of waiting for the blood to drain before roasting and eating it. This method was extremely cruel. Hong Xiu couldn't bear to watch and spoke up to dissuade them, pointing out that the newly killed deer was also a pregnant doe, which made the act even more barbaric. Empress Dowager Qi hadn't noticed that the deer was pregnant. Tuoba Hong was devoted to Buddhism, and this was touching his raw nerve.

Empress Dowager Qi apologized in great fear and trepidation. Her attitude was good, so Tuoba Hong found it difficult to say anything further. The birthday banquet was boring, so Liu Chuyu ran out to play a pot-throwing game in the garden. While she was playing happily, a few noble ladies at a stone table not far from her loudly discussed her abduction by assassins, mocking her for no longer being pure and for having no shame. Liu Chuyu angrily went over to argue with them. No matter how much she cited historical examples and reasoned, those people were deliberately looking for trouble and simply wouldn't listen.

Episode 34 Recap

Seeing the argument grow more intense, Liu Chuyu, in a fit of pique, wanted to strike, but fortunately, Hongxiu, who had just been bestowed the title of Guiren, timely stopped her. It was indeed inappropriate to cause a scene at Tuoba Hong's birthday banquet, but Liu Chuyu was not one to be easily bullied. She made the noble lady who had just verbally insulted her crawl out from there, letting her also taste the feeling of being humiliated.

With the annoying person gone, Liu Chuyu was able to have a good talk with Hongxiu. Liu Chuyu worried that Hongxiu would be bullied after entering the palace, but Hongxiu did not mind these things. After she entered the palace, those children would no longer have to suffer from hunger. This was Hongxiu's choice, and Liu Chuyu found it hard to say anything more.

On the way back to the manor, a sudden incident occurred: the manor's sedan chair was stopped, and a suspicious person flashed past and disappeared. Since coming to Da Wei, Liu Chuyu had experienced countless assassination attempts, and this time, it was likely aimed at her again. In a few days, it would be the Daughters' Festival. Liu Chuyu always loved lively events.

Rong Zhi asked her if she wanted to go; before he could even finish his sentence, Liu Chuyu turned and left. At this moment, Ma Zhongliang rushed to Rong Zhi's residence. Ma Xueyun had not eaten or drunk for several days, lying sickly on the bed, lifeless. Seeing her father arrive, she, as if possessed, begged her father to kill Liu Chuyu. Ma Zhongliang agreed to her request, but said not now.

Keeping Liu Chuyu was beneficial to Rong Zhi, and she could not be touched yet. Ma Xueyun didn't care about any of this; Liu Chuyu was like a thorn in her eye, and as long as she was not removed, Ma Xueyun could not be at peace. Liu Chuyu wanted to attend the lantern festival during the Daughters' Festival. She enthusiastically made river lanterns with Qing Yue.

After seeing them, Lan Ruo reminded them that this wouldn't work; a wooden board had to be placed on the lantern base. Qing Yue, upon hearing this, ran out like a gust of wind. Unable to find a wooden board, she set her sights on Rong Zhi's favorite phoenix tree. She hugged the large tree, repented for a long time, then picked up an axe and chopped it down.

Shen Yu saw Qing Yue's actions from afar and reported it to Rong Zhi, finding it both amusing and exasperating. Qing Yue always acted simply and roughly. Rong Zhi merely smiled upon hearing this, with no intention of blaming her. Liu Chuyu wanted to go out and release lanterns, so Rong Zhi made some arrangements beforehand. On the night of the Daughters' Festival, a bright moon hung in the sky, and it was exceptionally lively.

Liu Chuyu and Qing Yue were holding river lanterns, intending to go to the river to release them. Rong Zhi was waiting early outside Danfeng Xuan, planning to accompany Liu Chuyu. They exchanged a smile, and just as they were about to leave, they were stopped by Ma Xueyun's personal maid. Ma Xueyun was ill, so Rong Zhi had to go see her.

Ma Xueyun actually had nothing serious; she just didn't want to see Rong Zhi being good to Liu Chuyu. The relationship between Rong Zhi and her was originally just a transaction, but she had unconsciously fallen in love with Rong Zhi. If Rong Zhi had always been cold-hearted and unfeeling, loving no one, she would not have been so jealous. But seeing him being kind to Liu Chuyu, she simply could not tolerate it.

Ma Xueyun's love was too insane, filled with jealousy and schemes; Rong Zhi could not bear such love. Liu Chuyu went to the riverside, but suddenly lost the desire to release lanterns. Tuoba Yun arrived with Le Yun to release lanterns. Le Yun's river lantern suddenly caught fire. Tuoba Yun wanted to punish the servant who made the lantern, but Le Yun thought of a more amusing way.

She took out a jade bracelet and threw it into the river, claiming that if the servant could find the bracelet, she would let him go. Watching that person struggle in the water on a freezing cold day, Le Yun was exceptionally happy. She then took out more bracelets and threw them into the river, claiming that whoever fished them out could keep them. Many people, coveting the wealth, jumped in.

Liu Chuyu watched with a heavy heart; the weather was too cold, and some people had already frozen to death, but Le Yun paid no heed, only laughing happily. Liu Chuyu couldn't stop Le Yun and had lost her enthusiasm for releasing lanterns, so she returned to the manor early. She originally wanted to talk to Rong Zhi about Le Yun, but seeing Rong Zhi engrossed in copying books and ignoring her, Liu Chuyu suddenly decided not to say anything.

Before leaving, she even splashed a cup of water on Rong Zhi's book to show her anger. After she left, Rong Zhi took down the top page; the page underneath was what he had just drawn, which was a portrait of Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu returned to Danfeng Xuan to chat with Qing Yue and Lan Ruo. She told Lan Ruo that someone would definitely go retrieve her river lantern.

When she returned from the palace that day, someone had been following her. She figured they wouldn't miss any opportunity to collect things related to her, so she deliberately smeared itching powder on the river lantern. Anyone who got her river lantern would surely itch so much they'd want to chop off their hands. That night, Qi Heng caught a child fishing for river lanterns downstream.

That child was specifically waiting there to retrieve that particular river lantern, so there must have been something wrong with it. Under Tuoba Yun's interrogation, the child admitted that someone had instructed him to retrieve it and had arranged to meet him at the dilapidated temple where he usually stayed to give him the remaining payment. Tuoba Yun observed the river lantern for a long time and found a blank piece of paper in the lantern base.

The characters on the paper only became visible when held over a flame. After seeing it, Tuoba Yun immediately entered the palace to see Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong favored Hongxiu and was staying in her palace chamber tonight. The love-pea bracelet on Hongxiu's hand had some connection to Tuoba Hong's childhood playmate. Tuoba Hong bestowed her title at his birthday banquet also because seeing this bracelet reminded him of an old friend. When Tuoba Yun entered the palace, Tuoba Hong was already asleep. Hongxiu sent away the palace attendant who came to report.

Episode 35 Recap

Tuoba Yun was anxious to see Tuoba Hong, and his birth mother, Qi Taifei, came to assist him. Hong Xiu saw that Eunuch Pan could not stop her, so she stood up and came out to block. Although Qi Taifei was arrogant and domineering, Hong Xiu claimed that Tuoba Hong was already asleep and had given an oral order before sleeping that no one was to disturb him.

Although Qi Taifei was overbearing, Hong Xiu brought up the Imperial Dragon Forest Army, and she could only leave unwillingly. What Tuoba Yun found in the river lantern was important evidence to bring down Rong Zhi and Empress Dowager Feng, which was why he was eager to see Tuoba Hong. Now that he couldn't see him, Qi Taifei didn't want to miss such a good opportunity and told Tuoba Yun to act tonight.

Qin Yuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao in Pingcheng, had always been Tuoba Yun's man. However, Tuoba Yun suddenly received news that Qin Yuan had defected and sided with Rong Zhi, and they had even scheduled a meeting for tonight. Tuoba Yun rushed to meet Qin Yuan before their scheduled time. He was convinced that Qin Yuan had defected, and no matter how Qin Yuan defended himself, he would not believe him.

He then created the illusion that Qin Yuan had been killed by an enemy. The next day, Huo Xuan had not intended to attend court, but after the visit from the Qiang envoy, even though she was reluctant, she still changed into her court robes and went to court. In court today, undercurrents still surged.

Tuoba Yun took out what he had obtained from the river lantern last night, claiming it was a list of contacts between Liu Chuyu and Da Song spies, and a stolen defense map of Pingcheng. He argued that this defense map could only have been given to Liu Chuyu by Rong Zhi, otherwise, how could a mere woman like Liu Chuyu obtain a defense map? Tuoba Yun had arrested the Da Song spies overnight according to the list.

He was determined to label Rong Zhi a traitor. Huo Xuan sneered. She requested a witness to be brought to court. The Qiang envoy came to court and accused Tuoba Yun of massacring Qiang merchants. Last night, Tuoba Yun had indeed arrested many merchants in order to catch Da Song spies, but they were not the Da Song spies he had thought, but Qiang merchants.

Tuoba Yun now knew he had fallen into a trap, but it was already a fact. Tuoba Hong handed over all matters concerning negotiations with the Qiang tribe to Rong Zhi and ordered Tuoba Yun to be confined. Qi Taifei learned about the events in court today and furiously went to confront Hong Xiu. Last night, Tuoba Yun had hesitated before arresting people, wanting to enter the palace to ask for instructions.

If Hong Xiu hadn't insisted on blocking him, Tuoba Yun wouldn't have been so hasty. Hong Xiu smiled brightly. She admitted without hesitation that she was Rong Zhi's person, and that she had deliberately stopped Tuoba Yun last night. But what of it? Without evidence, who could do anything to her? Qi Taifei arrived in anger and left with even greater fury.

Liu Chuyu was still angry that Rong Zhi hadn't accompanied her to release the river lanterns, and she planned to disguise herself as a ghost to scare him. In court today, although Huo Xuan had helped Rong Zhi, she still wanted to understand the full story. In the study, Rong Zhi told Huo Xuan that it was all part of his plan.

He had swapped Liu Chuyu's river lantern and had a young beggar retrieve the lantern to lure Tuoba Yun into the trap. Then he had Hong Xiu stop Tuoba Yun from seeing the Emperor, disrupting Tuoba Yun's plan. Finally, to ensure everything went smoothly, he specifically arranged to meet Qin Yuan, the Prefect of Jingzhao, to make Tuoba Yun completely believe in his ambition and impatiently go to arrest the Da Song spies.

Liu Chuyu, hearing Rong Zhi's words outside the door, couldn't help but rush in to question him. She couldn't tolerate Rong Zhi being so calculating, even treating her as a chess piece. Rong Zhi admitted openly to what he had done. He knew it was cruel, but this was reality, and Liu Chuyu should recognize that. Liu Chuyu hated that Rong Zhi disregarded innocent lives for his ambition, and also hated that he kept everything from her.

Liu Chuyu ran off, filled with anger, and Shen Yu hurriedly chased after her to explain. These plans had been set long ago. The struggle between Rong Zhi and Tuoba Yun had reached an irreconcilable point, and some sacrifices were inevitable; they would reach this stage sooner or later. Liu Chuyu knew the cruelty of court struggles and could understand it, but she just hated being excluded from everything Rong Zhi did and him not telling her anything.

Shen Yu didn't understand why Liu Chuyu was angry and wanted Qing Yue to help smooth things over. Qing Yue looked indignant; this time, she firmly stood by her own master. After parting ways unhappily with Shen Yu, Qing Yue didn't give a kind look to Wang Ze, who came to ask for directions. Wang Ze was scolded for no apparent reason, but fortunately, Zhao Changshi arrived in time to show him the way.

Lan Ruo brought a shadow puppet personally made by Rong Zhi to apologize to Liu Chuyu. The shadow puppet was Liu Chuyu herself, lifelike. Prince Kang's mansion was sealed, and Tuoba Yun was utterly defeated once again. Now, during his most distraught time, Le Yun stayed by his side, comforting and supporting him.

Tuoba Yun sent a message to his birth mother, Qi Taifei, asking her to go to Tuoba Hong and cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide, saying that no matter what, she must soften Tuoba Hong's heart and get him released. Ma Xueyun received news of a big argument between Liu Chuyu and Rong Zhi and sneered repeatedly, thinking that Rong Zhi would sooner or later recognize the fact that he and Liu Chuyu were unsuitable for each other.

Ma Zhongliang came to visit his daughter. He knew his daughter was still angry about him not agreeing to kill Liu Chuyu last time, and her actions were becoming increasingly biased, so he specifically came to comfort her. No matter what he said, Ma Xueyun felt he had ulterior motives. She felt she had always been a pawn in her father's pursuit of power. After provoking her father, she swore she would make him regret it.

As Ma Zhongliang hurried out of the mansion, he happened to meet Rong Zhi returning. He was eager to go to the palace for a meeting, but ultimately, she was his daughter, so he turned back to ask Rong Zhi to be more tolerant. Ma Xueyun had become increasingly volatile recently, beating a maid to death.

The maid's family had been causing a commotion at the mansion for a long time, and the servants in the mansion were all spreading rumors that Concubine Ma had gone mad. Rong Zhi knew he should have a good talk with Ma Xueyun. When he went, Ma Xueyun was looking at flowers and compared the broken flowers to herself. Rong Zhi wanted her to cheer up, telling her that life wasn't just about love; there were many other things worth doing.

Episode 36 Recap

Ma Xueyun disagreed with Rong Zhi. She felt that her current self was her true self. The understanding, gentle, and kind Ma Xueyun from before was all an act. Since she had done so much but still didn't get Rong Zhi's love, she decided to liberate her nature and follow her own heart. This was simply incorrigible. Rong Zhi didn't want to say more to her and quickly left.

Ma Xueyun stepped on a flower petal and told her maid to keep a close watch on Liu Chuyu starting today. Rong Zhi was handling official business in his study when Huo Xuan specifically came to find him. After Qi Taifei made a big fuss and threatened suicide with Tuoba Hong, Tuoba Yun, who had been imprisoned for several days, was released.

Huo Xuan was afraid Rong Zhi was unhappy, so she came specifically to check on him, and she also wanted to spend more time with Rong Zhi; her feelings for him had always been there. Rong Zhi didn't want to talk about feelings right now and brought up official matters with Huo Xuan. He heard that the requirements for selecting people for Huo Xuan's army were very strict, and it had even been reported to Tuoba Hong.

Rong Zhi reminded Huo Xuan to be a bit more tactful in her actions, otherwise, she would only offend people. Huo Xuan didn't want to hear this; her army, of course, had to follow her own wishes. In the garden, Shen Yu saw Qing Yue eating carefree. He smiled slightly, and just as he was about to approach, Lan Ruo suddenly came over.

Afraid she would misunderstand, Shen Yu quickly explained that he was only approaching Qing Yue to inquire about Liu Chuyu. " Some matters are clearer to observers than to those involved," Lan Ruo told Shen Yu to carefully ask his own heart who he was truly siding with. As Shen Yu and Lan Ruo had just left, Wang Ze jumped over the wall to find Huo Xuan and happened to see Qing Yue.

The two started fighting as soon as they met. Qing Yue bit Wang Ze, then turned and left. Wang Ze looked at the bite mark on his hand and actually smiled. Liu Chuyu was gloomy. Hearing Lan Ruo say there was a temple fair in the city tonight, she decided to go see it. Ma Xueyun received the news and specifically sent someone to inform Tuoba Yun.

Since being confined, Tuoba Yun had been lying in his residence, thinking about many things. He was very envious to see Le Yun so open-minded and happy every day. Le Yun's companionship and guidance gradually made Tuoba Yun drop his guard with her. When Qi Heng came in to report news of Liu Chuyu, Tuoba Yun no longer avoided Le Yun. The temple fair was very lively, and Liu Chuyu, influenced by the atmosphere, became happy.

Suddenly, an idea came to her: she told Shen Yu to return to the residence and tell Rong Zhi that she was missing. Shen Yu was keen to help Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu reconcile, and he actually helped her deceive Rong Zhi. Upon hearing the news that Liu Chuyu was missing, Rong Zhi became anxious and searched everywhere with Shen Yu. Huo Xuan and Wang Ze also came to the temple fair.

Huo Xuan had originally wanted to invite Rong Zhi to come with her today, but seeing him engrossed in political affairs, she didn't say anything. However, the fleeting figure she just saw did resemble Rong Zhi. Qing Yue was uncontrollably craving in front of the sugar figurine stall. Wang Ze saw her and specifically came over to tease her, even buying her a sugar figurine to eat.

Liu Chuyu wandered aimlessly at the temple fair and saw a child crying alone by the roadside. She kindly went up to comfort the child. A shed, whose ropes had been deliberately cut, fell from upstairs. If Rong Zhi hadn't arrived in time, she would have been hit. The child's parents happened to come over at this moment and quickly thanked Liu Chuyu.

They walked away with their child, still expressing gratitude to Liu Chuyu on the way, which Qing Yue overheard and immediately ran to find them. Liu Chuyu's foot was actually hit, but she couldn't care about the pain now, only focusing on sweetly pressuring Rong Zhi to admit he cared about her. Rong Zhi had always been eloquent and had never been rendered speechless by anyone.

He was so angry that he pinched Liu Chuyu's cheek to punish her for lying. Liu Chuyu chuckled. Only when Rong Zhi pulled her to walk did she feel the pain in her foot. Seeing her foot injured, Rong Zhi resignedly carried her back to the residence. Liu Chuyu lay on Rong Zhi's back, almost falling asleep.

If Qing Yue hadn't failed to find the people and returned to the residence, then happened to see them outside the residence and shouted, Liu Chuyu would have fallen asleep. Qing Yue then took Liu Chuyu into the residence. Wang Ze saw Rong Zhi's concern for Liu Chuyu and hoped he wouldn't let down his general. The shed collapsed. Although Liu Chuyu was not seriously injured, others who couldn't escape were all hurt.

While Shen Yu was dealing with the situation, he happened to meet Huo Xuan, and together they sent the injured to the medical clinic. At the clinic, Huo Xuan met a long-lost acquaintance – Gu Huan. Gu Huan was pleasantly surprised to see Huo Xuan and even joked that he came for her. However, Huo Xuan's face did not show the joy of a long-lost friend reuniting, because true coincidences in the world are rare; most are man-made.

The collapse of the shed at the temple fair was clearly aimed at Liu Chuyu. Rong Zhi also knew it was Tuoba Yun's doing, but he didn't know if there were any accomplices. Ma Xueyun was furious and lost control when she learned that Liu Chuyu had not been killed, smashing everything on the table. After recomposing herself, she actually went to beg forgiveness from Liu Chuyu for her previous misdeeds.

Liu Chuyu was unwilling to see Ma Xueyun or a hypocritical apology. It started raining outside, but Ma Xueyun insisted on kneeling, waiting for Liu Chuyu's forgiveness. Liu Chuyu went to the palace to chat with Hong Xiu, fearing she might be bullied in the palace. Hong Xiu appeared very happy. When Liu Chuyu asked if she had been bullied, Hong Xiu told her that Qi Taifei often made things difficult for her.

Episode 37 Recap

Ma Xueyun insisted on kneeling in the rain, begging Liu Chuyu for forgiveness, as time ticked by. Lan Ruo saw that this situation was not good; it would not only be bad for Liu Chuyu's reputation but also put Rong Zhi in a difficult position, so she specifically advised Liu Chuyu to go out and check. Liu Chuyu considered the bigger picture but also felt resentful, especially after seeing Ma Xueyun and a group of onlookers.

Her anger intensified, realizing that Ma Xueyun was clearly putting on a show to pressure her. Ma Xueyun's health was already poor, and after being drenched in the rain, she fell ill upon returning. When Rong Zhi saw her awaken, he only wished her to take care of herself. Unable to get the concern she desired from Rong Zhi, Ma Xueyun's resentment towards Liu Chuyu deepened. After a bout of coughing, she even coughed up blood.

Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu was contemplating whether to forgive Ma Xueyun. In her heart, she was unwilling to forgive, but for Rong Zhi, she was willing to concede, only wishing that Rong Zhi would not let her down. How could Rong Zhi possibly let down such a wonderful Liu Chuyu? He hugged her tightly, promising never to be unfaithful to her. Ma Xueyun had originally arranged to meet Tuoba Yun, but she did not arrive as scheduled when the time came.

Tuoba Yun was not angry about this; all he wanted was to cause trouble for Rong Zhi. Even without him joining forces, Ma Xueyun would continue to deal with Liu Chuyu. Rong Zhi cared so much about Liu Chuyu that if anything happened to her, Rong Zhi would not feel well either, and that would be a good opportunity for him to act.

Ma Xueyun did not go to the appointment; she went to Gu Huan's medical clinic to see a doctor and left calmly after being examined alone by Gu Huan. Back at the mansion, Ma Xueyun showed excessive kindness to Liu Chuyu, who subtly felt something was amiss. Lan Ruo analyzed that this was the result of the Empress Dowager having already reprimanded Ma Xueyun. Liu Chuyu found this explanation reasonable but still frowned, unable to trust Ma Xueyun.

Rong Zhi accidentally fell asleep in his study. Ma Xueyun came in to cover him with a blanket, her face full of infatuation. She wanted to reconcile and recalled the scene of their first meeting, but no matter what she said, Rong Zhi remained firm, telling her that they could not go back to the past. He never had romantic feelings for her, and when Ma Xueyun suggested a hug, Rong Zhi refused.

The Empress Dowager summoned Ma Xueyun and Liu Chuyu. Ma Xueyun arrived first, amusing the Empress Dowager greatly. When Liu Chuyu entered, the Empress Dowager and Ma Xueyun were all smiles, talking about interesting anecdotes from when Liu Chuyu first married Rong Zhi. Afterwards, they played cards with the Empress Dowager.

Liu Chuyu wasn't very familiar with leaf cards, but Ma Xueyun spoke knowledgeably about them, even proposing a new way to play, saying that ivory leaf cards would be more fun. There was only one set of ivory cards in the palace, kept by Hong Xiu. Ma Xueyun seized the opportunity to suggest that Liu Chuyu, who had a good relationship with Hong Xiu, go and ask for the cards, and she accompanied her.

Looking at this bright and cheerful Ma Xueyun, Liu Chuyu felt as if she had never truly known her. Ma Xueyun, taking advantage of Liu Chuyu letting her guard down slightly, used the matter of Rong Zhi as an inducement to propose talking to her alone. Liu Chuyu agreed after a brief thought. Ma Xueyun led Liu Chuyu to a secluded high platform and told her that everything between herself and Rong Zhi was a transaction.

She had initially thought Rong Zhi was incapable of love, but he had unexpectedly fallen in love with Liu Chuyu. Yesterday, she wanted Rong Zhi to hug her again, but Rong Zhi's face was then full of resistance, which made Ma Xueyun hate Liu Chuyu even more. The more Ma Xueyun spoke, the angrier she became, and she couldn't resist slapping Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu tried to fight back but found she had no strength at all.

Ma Xueyun had secretly put muscle-relaxing powder on the leaf cards earlier, and now that it had taken effect, she effortlessly pushed the defenseless Liu Chuyu to the edge of the high platform. At the same time, in the imperial court, Huo Xuan was impeached for being harsh in training soldiers. While everyone was discussing political affairs, a palace attendant suddenly came in to report that something had happened to the Regent's Consort.

Rong Zhi's expression changed upon hearing this, and he rushed out. Tuoba Hong followed closely with the ministers. However, by the time they arrived, it was Ma Xueyun who had met with an accident. Ma Zhongliang saw his daughter dead from the fall and then saw Liu Chuyu staggering down from the high platform, so he concluded that Liu Chuyu was the murderer. Liu Chuyu repeatedly shook her head, stating that she did not do it.

Rong Zhi also stood in front of Liu Chuyu. Both sides had their own arguments, and Tuoba Hong decided to investigate the matter thoroughly. Everyone moved inside the hall. Liu Chuyu told them that Ma Xueyun had jumped down herself, but these words clearly failed to convince the crowd. Liu Chuyu then revealed that Ma Xueyun had given her muscle-relaxing powder, and the leaf cards were the evidence.

However, the imperial physician found no traces of any powder on the leaf cards. Liu Chuyu temporarily had no new evidence to prove her innocence. Huo Xuan suggested that if the person who administered the drug was deliberate, the powder would leave no traces after evaporating. Ma Zhongliang insisted that Liu Chuyu was the killer, tearfully begging Tuoba Hong to uphold justice for him.

Coupled with the instigation from Tuoba Yun and his mother, Liu Chuyu would have had a very difficult time getting through this ordeal today if not for the protection of the Empress Dowager and Rong Zhi. Liu Chuyu was temporarily imprisoned. Qing Yue was extremely worried and helpless. Huo Xuan and Rong Zhi went to the prison to visit Liu Chuyu, while Wang Ze came to comfort the anxious Qing Yue.

Episode 38 Recap

Huo Xuan and Rong Zhi both believed Liu Chuyu was innocent. They came here to find out the truth. Liu Chuyu remembered very clearly that Ma Xueyun had tightly choked her neck, then thrown her to the ground. Ma Xueyun said she wanted Rong Zhi to never forget her for the rest of his life, then stepped back to the edge of the high platform, leaped down, and even smiled after jumping. Now, things are very clear.

The recently popular ivory tiles were mentioned by Ma Xueyun. She had previously presented the tiles to Tuoba Hong, accurately predicting that Tuoba Hong would award them to his favorite concubine Hongxiu. She then specifically mentioned the ivory tiles to the Empress Dowager, who loved new and interesting things, and then logically arranged for Liu Chuyu, who was on good terms with Hongxiu, to retrieve the tiles. Ma Xueyun's calculations were precise at every step, truly flawless.

It was difficult to clear Liu Chuyu's name, but no matter how difficult, Rong Zhi would definitely rescue her, and Huo Xuan was also willing to help. That night, it was dark and moonless. Ma Zhongliang gently stroked the zither his daughter used to play, his heart complex. His daughter wouldn't just die like this. He interrogated his daughter's maid, Bixi, wanting to know if his daughter had left a will. Ma Xueyun hadn't left a single word.

Rong Zhi happened to enter, making Ma Zhongliang face the truth: Ma Xueyun had committed suicide. Ma Zhongliang had lost his daughter, and Rong Zhi had such a conciliatory attitude. Ma Zhongliang swore he would make Liu Chuyu pay the price, even if it meant tearing up his alliance with Rong Zhi. Ma Zhongliang was heartbroken, sitting at home drinking to drown his sorrows. Tuoba Yun seized this opportunity, specifically coming to form an alliance with Ma Zhongliang.

Ma Zhongliang now only wanted revenge for his daughter. As long as Tuoba Yun could present Liu Chuyu's head on the day of his daughter's funeral, he would agree to the alliance. Meanwhile, Huo Xuan walked back and forth in her garden, still unable to guess Ma Xueyun's reason for suicide.

Wang Ze suddenly pointed out a contradiction in Ma Xueyun's actions: if she wanted to commit suicide and also harm Liu Chuyu, why didn't she take Liu Chuyu with her? Huo Xuan was enlightened after hearing this and went to find Gu Huan. Gu Huan had only been in Pingcheng for a short time but had already earned the reputation of a "living immortal."

Huo Xuan subtly inquired with Gu Huan about the difference between jumping off a building to commit suicide and being pushed off a building. In fact, Gu Huan had long known Huo Xuan's intention. Seeing this, Huo Xuan no longer concealed it; however, to find flaws, Gu Huan would need to personally examine the body. Rong Zhi had lost a lot of weight in just two days. He entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager.

Although the Empress Dowager comforted him, she had already determined that Liu Chuyu was the murderer. The situation was now very unfavorable for Liu Chuyu. Ma Zhongliang held a high position and had many allies. He was now targeting Liu Chuyu. Both the Empress Dowager and Tuoba Hong wanted Rong Zhi to temporarily remain silent, which essentially meant abandoning Liu Chuyu.

Rong Zhi knew the Empress Dowager was thinking of his well-being, but he would not give up on Liu Chuyu. Rong Zhi repeatedly checked the high platform where the incident occurred, even pushing Shen Yu to the edge of the platform to reenact the scene. He wanted to know what Ma Xueyun, who had acrophobia, was thinking at the time, and what gave her the courage to jump down fearlessly. Rong Zhi couldn't figure it out for now.

Huo Xuan came to remind him to examine the body to find the truth. Meanwhile, in the prison, Liu Chuyu was tied to a rack, forced by the Imperial Censor officials to confess her crime. Liu Chuyu refused to plead guilty and was beaten with countless planks, groaning in pain. Tuoba Yun instructed the Imperial Censor officials to torture her into confession. After being beaten, Liu Chuyu was immediately pressed into a water vat, tortured beyond recognition.

Liu Chuyu refused to plead guilty. Tuoba Yun exploited Qing Yue's eagerness to save her, designing a trap to capture her. Liu Chuyu watched Qing Yue being tortured, covered in wounds and spitting blood. Her heart ached terribly, and she agreed to sign and seal the confession, only asking to save Qing Yue's life. At the Regent's Residence, Ma Xueyun's coffin was moved to the backyard for placement. Huo Xuan had asked Gu Huan to come and examine the body. However, as soon as Gu Huan arrived, Ma Zhongliang, who had been notified by Bixi, rushed over to stop them. No matter what Rong Zhi said, he adamantly prevented it.

Episode 39 Recap

Ma Zhongliang rushed in and pushed Gu Huan away, angrily cursing Rong Zhi for performing an autopsy on Ma Xueyun. Huo Xuan saw Rong Zhi being scolded like this and stepped forward to explain. Ma Zhongliang, full of rage, turned and cursed her, asking who she thought she was, and aggressively demanded to take Ma Xueyun's body back to his mansion. Ma Zhongliang's uncharacteristically arrogant behavior meant that Rong Zhi could only seek an imperial decree to stop him.

However, Rong Zhi could no longer deal with Ma Zhongliang, as news had arrived that Qing Yue was in trouble. Qing Yue had already been sent back to the mansion. Rong Zhi looked at the unconscious Qing Yue, understood the whole story, and when he heard the news that Liu Chuyu had confessed, he clenched his fists. Rong Zhi knew that Tuoba Yun was definitely behind this. Meanwhile, Huo Xuan sent Gu Huan back to the medical clinic.

Gu Huan hesitated for a moment but still voiced his speculation. He told Huo Xuan that he seemed to have seen Bixi somewhere, but he couldn't remember exactly where. The next day, in the imperial court, Ma Zhongliang had someone submit a memorial to resign. He had been an official for many years and had many supporters in court, so his resignation was a matter of great importance. Tuoba Hong asked for the reason.

Tuoba Yun seized the opportunity to blame Rong Zhi's insistence on performing an autopsy on Ma Xueyun, saying that Rong Zhi had broken Ma Zhongliang's heart. Ma Zhongliang and Rong Zhi were in-laws, and Ma Zhongliang had supported Rong Zhi. For the sake of the autopsy, Rong Zhi had turned against Ma Zhongliang, leading a group of court officials to accuse him of ingratitude.

Tuoba Hong silenced the clamor of the senior officials and ordered Rong Zhi to persuade Ma Zhongliang to return to his post. Rong Zhi and Tuoba Yun went to the Ma mansion. Ma Zhongliang's action was intended to force Rong Zhi to abandon the autopsy. Although Rong Zhi tried his best to persuade him, he refused to back down on the autopsy. Ma Zhongliang sneered repeatedly.

After Rong Zhi left, he calmly told Tuoba Yun that this was just the beginning, and he would make Rong Zhi understand. In the solemn and majestic great hall, Tuoba Hong looked at the stack of memorials before him, all requesting an imperial decree to execute Liu Chuyu. This was clearly forcing him to make a decision. Although Tuoba Hong understood this in his heart, he was helpless. Hong Xiu came over to serve tea.

Tuoba Hong saw her and knew she had a good relationship with Liu Chuyu, but there was no need for her to plead. Due to circumstances, even the exalted emperor had no other choice. Ma Zhongliang demanded that Rong Zhi personally execute Liu Chuyu on the day of Ma Xueyun's funeral, and Tuoba Hong agreed. News quickly spread that Tuoba Hong had ordered Rong Zhi to personally execute Liu Chuyu during Ma Xueyun's funeral.

The happiest were Tuoba Yun and his mother. Consort Qi specifically asked Tuoba Yun to observe Rong Zhi's expression on the day of the funeral, finding joy just thinking about it. On the other side, Rong Zhi went to see the Empress Dowager to plead for Liu Chuyu. The Empress Dowager initially intended not to see him but couldn't bear to see him anxious and helpless.

Ma Zhongliang's demand was not aimed at Liu Chuyu at all, but at Rong Zhi. If Rong Zhi didn't kill Liu Chuyu, he would be accused of neglecting state affairs for the sake of a woman. This was Ma Zhongliang's clever scheme. The Empress Dowager clearly understood this and told Rong Zhi not to forget his ambitions. Tomorrow was Ma Xueyun's funeral. Rong Zhi looked out at the night from his mansion, his face heavy.

Shen Yu suggested rescuing her that very night. Rong Zhi had certainly considered it, but tonight was not a good time. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu ate a lavish final meal in prison. She grabbed the rice bowl and vigorously stuffed food into her mouth, tears streaming down her face as she ate. Was she truly going to die in a foreign land like this? Early the next morning, the sky was gloomy, and a fine drizzle fell.

Ma Xueyun's funeral procession left the Ma mansion, and Liu Chuyu was brought from prison to stand before Ma Xueyun's coffin. The common people of Pingcheng, unaware of the truth, cursed loudly, urging Rong Zhi to kill Liu Chuyu. Rong Zhi took the dagger offered by a servant. Liu Chuyu's eyes widened. Tian Rujing, hidden deep within the crowd, was also ready to rescue her.

Just then, Rong Zhi raised his hand and brought it down, cutting off Liu Chuyu's shackles and shielding her behind him. At the same time, in the palace, the Buddhist beads in the Empress Dowager's hand broke. She had a very bad premonition, hoping only that Rong Zhi would not act on impulse. When Rong Zhi didn't act, Ma Zhongliang, enraged, drew his own sword to do it himself. Shen Yu arrived with the elite soldiers from the mansion.

Just as Ma Zhongliang was about to confront them, Huo Xuan rushed in with troops from another direction. She always acted decisively. If Ma Zhongliang continued to be arrogant, Huo Xuan would point her sword directly at his neck, ordering Gu Huan, who had just arrived with Wang Ze, to perform an autopsy on Ma Xueyun.

Seeing the coffin about to be opened, Tuoba Yun, in a moment of desperation, stirred up the emotions of the common people, making them sympathize with Ma Zhongliang's grief over losing his daughter, and they all shouted for Liu Chuyu to be killed. Liu Chuyu, seeing this situation, spoke up to defend herself.

Putting aside whether Ma Zhongliang's insistence on preventing the autopsy was for his reputation or genuine grief, regarding the accusation of her murdering someone, there was no evidence. Why should she be convicted? The Tingwei presented a document signed and fingerprinted by Liu Chuyu. Liu Chuyu snorted, stating that the document was signed under duress, and it wasn't her own name that was signed.

The people of Great Wei didn't recognize Han characters and didn't know that Liu Chuyu had signed not her own name, but the three characters for "big dog shit." At this moment, Gu Huan completed the autopsy. Ma Xueyun's body had no injuries other than those from falling from the building. However, Liu Chuyu's body had marks from Ma Xueyun's coercion, shoving, and severe pinching on the day Ma Xueyun fell.

By verifying Ma Xueyun's fingerprints, it could be proven that the injury on Liu Chuyu's neck was caused by her. Ma Xueyun went from being a victim to a murder suspect. Ma Zhongliang refused to believe it, finding it illogical. Gu Huan confirmed that the reason Ma Xueyun was willing to sacrifice her life to frame Liu Chuyu was that she was terminally ill and did not have long to live.

Gu Huan remembered that he had treated Ma Xueyun before precisely because he recognized Bixi. He revealed this, but Ma Zhongliang simply did not believe him. However, Gu Huan had a way to prove his words; he only needed another half an incense stick's time. Meanwhile, in the palace, Tuoba Hong was furious upon hearing about the clash between Rong Zhi and Ma Zhongliang. Regardless of who won, it would be a lose-lose situation for Great Wei.

Episode 40 Recap

After a short while, a group of flies gathered on the clothes Ma Xueyun wore before her death. Gu Huan explained that this was because the flies smelled blood, which was also evidence that Ma Xueyun, suffering from a serious illness, often coughed up blood. At this point, there was still one point of doubt: why Ma Xueyun did not choose to die together with Liu Chuyu, but chose to die herself.

Under Rong Zhi's interrogation, Bixi revealed the truth, saying that Ma Xueyun did this to make Liu Chuyu die more humiliated and be condemned by thousands. With the truth revealed, Ma Zhongliang, in a fit of rage, stabbed Bixi to death, denied Rong Zhi's request to send his daughter off on her last journey, and quietly left with the funeral procession. Ma Zhongliang disagreed, and Rong Zhi did not insist.

He protected the weak Liu Chuyu and returned to the residence. Huo Xuan watched their retreating figures, feeling bitter in her heart. Gu Huan noticed her injured hand and offered to bandage it for her. Huo Xuan gave a bitter smile, thinking that Gu Huan, so far away, had noticed her injury, while Rong Zhi, who was just so close, had not. The truth was truly bitter. Ma Zhongliang lost face today.

Tuoba Yun visited late at night, wanting to form an alliance with him. What Tuoba Yun sought was merely the position of Regent Prince, but Ma Zhongliang had greater ambitions; he wanted Tuoba Yun to contend for the throne. Although Tuoba Yun was tempted by such a treasonous act, he still needed to consider it carefully before giving a reply. Upon returning to her residence, Liu Chuyu hurried to visit Qing Yue.

Qing Yue's injury was no longer serious; she was just gluttonous and wanted to eat. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they had overcome the danger. Liu Chuyu and Qing Yue played around happily. Liu Chuyu and Qing Yue rested together. Qing Yue, being greedy, choked. Liu Chuyu poured her water, and the two playfully pinched each other's mouths, having a good time. Rong Zhi came to visit Liu Chuyu.

Seeing her rare happiness, he did not disturb her and withdrew. Rong Zhi instructed Shen Yu to prepare a ritual; he wanted to perform a ritual for Ma Xueyun, not to curry favor with Ma Zhongliang, but simply to let Ma Xueyun rest in peace. Liu Chuyu was safe and sound, and Zhao Changshi reminded Rong Zhi to have Liu Chuyu enter the palace to express gratitude.

Rong Zhi was not ignorant of these etiquettes, but he was unwilling to let Liu Chuyu suffer any grievance; on this matter, she had no favor to thank for. Rong Zhi had offended court officials to save Liu Chuyu. He personally entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager, who refused to see him, intending to curb his arrogance. This move was also for others to see.

With Rong Zhi losing Ma Zhongliang as an ally, Tuoba Yun would be gloating. Moreover, the Empress Dowager's elder brother from a concubine, who had always been imprudent and wantonly expanded his army, had returned. The Empress Dowager only hoped he would not implicate herself and Rong Zhi. In the garden, Tuoba Yun spared no effort to curry favor with Tuoba Hong. He had newly developed a powerful formation and proposed testing it during a hunt.

Upon hearing the word "hunt," Tuoba Hong became interested, but then he saw Rong Zhi, and the smile that had not fully spread instantly receded. After Tuoba Yun left, Tuoba Hong blamed Rong Zhi for disregarding the overall situation of the court for a woman. Rong Zhi argued plausibly, insisting that he would not compromise due to coercion from court officials, nor would he push a woman out to appease anger.

Seeing Rong Zhi always stick to his original principles, Tuoba Hong praised him highly, saying he still admired such a Rong Zhi. Qi Taifei was in a very good mood, ridiculing Rong Zhi for offending a group of court officials for a woman, saying the loss outweighed the gain. As she passed through the garden, she accidentally saw Rong Zhi and Tuoba Hong talking happily, and became furious. She immediately slapped a maid with red sleeves who was passing by.

Upon returning, still unappeased, she severely scolded Tuoba Yun, who was leisurely drinking tea, accusing him of being inferior to Rong Zhi, and tearfully complained about their mother-son disadvantages. Tuoba Yun had heard these words since childhood, and now they became increasingly unpleasant to hear. He clenched the teacup in his hand and told his imperial concubine not to say such things again.

He then turned and went to Ma Zhongliang's residence, agreeing to work together with Ma Zhongliang to achieve their great undertaking. In the Regent Prince's residence, Liu Chuyu went to thank Rong Zhi, but Rong Zhi avoided seeing her. Shen Yu tactfully sent Liu Chuyu away. Rong Zhi emerged from the room, feeling very uncomfortable.

When facing Tuoba Hong today, he said he saved Liu Chuyu to avoid compromising with court officials, but only he himself knew that he did it simply to save Liu Chuyu. Everyone said he was ambitious and vying for power, but in Rong Zhi's heart, he did not covet power; he merely wished that one day, there would be no more wars in the world, and the court would be harmonious. In Liu Chuyu's matter, Rong Zhi had acted emotionally.

The reason he did not see Liu Chuyu was to constantly remind himself never again to ruin important matters for personal affections. Liu Chuyu returned to her Danfeng Xuan. As soon as she entered the door, she found a man in black holding pastries climbing over the wall into the courtyard. Liu Chuyu spoke to him. Wang Ze, unexpectedly hearing someone speak, his first reaction was to run. Only after being stopped by Liu Chuyu did he reveal his identity.

Seeing that he specifically brought pastries for Qing Yue, Liu Chuyu did not make things difficult for him and even pointed out Qing Yue's room location. Watching Wang Ze go in, Liu Chuyu and Lan Ruo gossiped, thinking it might be good if Wang Ze and Qing Yue became a couple. But before they finished speaking, they saw Wang Ze being beaten out.

Episode 41 Recap

Liu Chuyu and Lan Ruo looked at Wang Ze, who had fallen awkwardly to the ground, with mixed feelings of amusement and exasperation. Wang Ze wasn't angry about the fall; surprisingly, he even planned to come again tomorrow to bring food to Qing Yue. Wang Ze could freely come and go from the Regent's Residence because Shen Yu had allowed it.

From Lan Ruo's perspective, Shen Yu's actions were to avoid suspicion, proving he had no other intentions towards Qing Yue. But if his conscience was clear, why go to such unnecessary lengths? The civil unrest in Sizhou was escalating. On today's imperial court, the candidates to quell the Sizhou civil unrest were discussed. This was a good opportunity to make a name for oneself. Tuoba Yun actively volunteered but was cut off by Huo Xuan.

After the court session, Rong Zhi specifically reminded Huo Xuan to act cautiously. Tuoba Yun never gave up until he achieved his goal, and for him to easily let Huo Xuan get this assignment today made Rong Zhi suspect something strange was behind it. Huo Xuan was never afraid of these lurking demons and monsters. After returning to her residence, she ordered Wang Ze to select personnel and would depart for Sizhou tomorrow.

However, Pingcheng had been experiencing a lot of gloomy and rainy weather recently, and Huo Xuan's old injury showed signs of recurring. Tuoba Yun stood alone in the garden playing the xun. The sound of the xun, amidst its solitude, revealed sadness. As a child, he had specially learned to play the xun for a year to please the late emperor, but the late emperor considered it a distraction from his ambition.

At that time, he liked his younger brother Tuoba Hong very much, but he never expected that after Tuoba Hong ascended the throne, he would constantly guard against and suppress him. Tuoba Yun recounted these past events to Le Yun, sneering repeatedly, and told Le Yun that he was going hunting with Tuoba Hong. Le Yun sensitively perceived that Tuoba Yun was acting strangely, but couldn't pinpoint what was abnormal.

After the Western Mountain hunt was set, Shen Yu worried that Tuoba Yun might use this opportunity to trip up Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi dismissed this, saying that Tuoba Hong, having become emperor at a young age, had his own measure for people and matters. The sky was clear, the air fresh, and the trees lush; the Western Mountain hunt began. The new formation Tuoba Yun had practiced received great praise from Tuoba Hong.

When prey appeared, Tuoba Hong took the lead. His archery was precise, hitting the target with a single shot. Just as he happily turned to share the victory with Tuoba Yun, a cold arrow flew past his face. Tuoba Yun's first arrow missed, but the very next arrow struck Tuoba Hong's leg. Tuoba Yun had been planning this for a long time and successfully captured Tuoba Hong alive.

Originally, his agreement with Ma Zhongliang was to kill Tuoba Hong immediately after capture, but looking at the unconscious Tuoba Hong, he didn't make a move. On the other side, Liu Chuyu entered the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had initially worried that Liu Chuyu would resent her for not helping her this time, but unexpectedly, Liu Chuyu was very sensible and saw things quite clearly, not harboring any dissatisfaction because of it.

Tuoba Hong had gone hunting, and all state affairs fell upon Rong Zhi, keeping him incredibly busy. In the Western Mountain traveling palace, Tuoba Hong awoke. True to his title as emperor, he remained remarkably calm in the face of such a sudden incident. He wanted to know why this had happened. Tuoba Yun pointed his sword at Tuoba Hong's neck.

He had originally wholeheartedly wanted to assist his younger brother, but after Tuoba Hong ascended the throne, he only sought to suppress him, which truly disheartened him. Tuoba Yun used the news of the emperor's injury to trick Rong Zhi into going to the Western Mountains, intending to frame Rong Zhi and charge him with treason. In Pingcheng, Rong Zhi received news that Tuoba Hong was injured during the hunt and urgently summoned him to provide protection.

This news arrived suspiciously; only Rong Zhi alone received the message. Although he had his doubts, Rong Zhi still went. There was considerable commotion in the residence. After being woken up, Liu Chuyu only managed to catch a glimpse of Rong Zhi's hurried departure. She suddenly felt very uneasy and asked Shen Yu to inquire at the palace to see if it was true that only Rong Zhi had received the message to protect the emperor.

Meanwhile, Le Yun searched through Tuoba Yun's study and finally discovered a half-burnt letter in the fireplace. She also recalled that Tuoba Yun had been secretly meeting with some people recently. Le Yun suspected there was a problem with the Western Mountain hunt, and she rushed to the Regent's Residence to find Liu Chuyu. Le Yun's family had been saved by Rong Zhi, and she had been secretly working for Rong Zhi by infiltrating Tuoba Yun's side.

However, due to some previous misunderstandings, Shen Yu no longer trusted her, so she went to see Liu Chuyu. Le Yun's words were sincere, and Liu Chuyu decided to trust her. Liu Chuyu knew that saving Rong Zhi by herself would definitely be impossible.

She went to see Chen Yong, the commander of the Longlin Army, but she didn't know that Chen Yong had already allied with Ma Zhongliang, and everything tonight was merely a ploy to lure her into a trap. Tuoba Yun had long known there was a spy in the residence.

That half-burnt piece of paper was meant for the spy to show Liu Chuyu, so that in her desperation, Liu Chuyu would seek help from the Longlin Army and be trapped by Chen Yong. Unaware that she had been deceived, Le Yun was arrested upon returning to Kang Wang Fu.

Meanwhile, Shen Yu entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager and was captured alive by Peng Ge of the Longlin Army, who had been waiting there for a long time. Peng Ge was Chen Yong's capable subordinate. Joining him in this rebellion, Peng Ge released Shen Yu's signal flare, hoping this action would draw out all of Rong Zhi's faction. The signal flare exploded in the air.

The Empress Dowager realized something had happened and immediately ordered her maid to summon Rong Zhi to the palace. Meanwhile, Imperial Concubine Qi, in her own palace, heard the commotion and saw the guards outside her palace. She suddenly understood what her son intended to do. Such a treasonous act was something Imperial Concubine Qi dared not even imagine. After much thought, she felt that her son must have been incited by others, and this action was highly inappropriate.

Hong Xiu leisurely played the pipa. Hearing the commotion outside, her heart remained as still as water. On the other side, the Empress Dowager was not in such a good mood. She was worried, unable to wait for Rong Zhi, and after such a long time since the incident, the Longlin Army still showed no movement. She suspected Chen Yong was involved in something. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu, with Qing Yue's help, escaped from the Longlin Army command post and rushed to the Western Mountains overnight.

Episode 42 Recap

Rong Zhi was ambushed on his way to Xishan. All his personal guards were killed. He hid in a tree, using the dense foliage as cover, until dawn. Liu Chuyu arrived at the scene but couldn't find Rong Zhi. She and Qing Yue separated to search. From a distance, Rong Zhi saw the anxious Liu Chuyu, his heart tightened, and he came down from the tree to take her with him to evade the layered search by the Longlin Army.

Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu hid in the roadside bushes, carefully avoiding the pursuers. The atmosphere was tense. Liu Chuyu accidentally stepped on a twig, making a sound. Instantly, several arrows shot out, but their targets were the pursuers. Huo Xuan, bringing her personal guards, arrived in time and saved Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu. Looking at Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu's clasped hands, Huo Xuan felt bitter and spurred her horse to chase the fleeing Longlin Army.

However, she couldn't concentrate and was injured and fainted while dealing with the fleeing soldiers. Meanwhile, Wang Ze rescued Qing Yue, who was being pursued by the Longlin Army. After meeting with Rong Zhi, they rushed to Xishan together. Gu Huan was hidden among Huo Xuan's troops. He did not go to Xishan with Wang Ze and the others but returned to find Huo Xuan. When Huo Xuan woke up, she wondered why Gu Huan was there.

Gu Huan explained that Wang Ze was worried about her old injury recurring and had asked him to secretly follow. Huo Xuan's back injury was severe and required immediate treatment. She took off her armor, revealing her fair back, which was originally like congealed cream but was now covered with scars and bloodstains. Gu Huan's eyes showed pity as he gently bandaged her wounds.

Huo Xuan's injury made riding unsuitable, so Gu Huan insistently demanded to ride on the same horse with her. The usually strong Huo Xuan rarely had such weak moments, and the close contact with Gu Huan made her uncomfortable, but now was not the time to dwell on such things. The priority was to quickly reach Xishan. At this moment, in the palace, the Empress Dowager dressed up.

Even if she realized things were bad, she had to maintain her dignity as the Empress Dowager of Great Wei. Ma Zhongliang falsely issued an imperial decree, forcing the Empress Dowager to commit suicide. After all, the Empress Dowager had been in power for many years, and she wanted to maintain her dignity until the very end. Ma Zhongliang showed her respect by giving her the time it takes to drink a cup of tea to commit suicide.

Ma Zhongliang sat in the pavilion, calmly waiting for the Empress Dowager to commit suicide. However, after the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, there was no movement. Just as he was about to go in and check, he was stopped by the Empress Dowager and Rong Zhi's brother, Feng Tai, who brought soldiers. Feng Tai didn't have many men, and the Longlin Army under Ma Zhongliang's command was more than enough to deal with him.

Ma Zhongliang was confident of victory and was about to confront them head-on when Peng Ge pressed a sword to his neck. Peng Ge was a trusted confidant whom Tuoba Hong had planted in the Longlin Army early on. The reason he cooperated with Chen Yong in the palace coup was because Tuoba Hong wanted to know how many people were involved in this rebellion, and also to test the various factions and alert the complacent army and court.

In Xishan, Rong Zhi and the Huo Family Army stormed into the temporary palace to protect the emperor. Tuoba Yun's men were already dead or wounded. Tuoba Yun was furious. By now, he knew he had fallen into a trap set by Tuoba Hong, but he didn't understand where he had made a mistake that aroused Tuoba Hong's suspicion. At this point, Tuoba Hong didn't mind letting Tuoba Yun know where he had failed.

Tuoba Yun should never have harbored designs on the Longlin Army. Peng Ge was Tuoba Hong's man. As early as when Tuoba Yun and Chen Yong made contact, Tuoba Hong already knew his scheme and had pretended to send Huo Xuan to Sizhou, when in fact he had her guard the emperor in Xishan. Rong Zhi entered the temporary palace to see Tuoba Hong.

He happened to overhear Tuoba Hong saying that if a regent did not have the ability to escape a perilous situation, then he was not qualified to be a regent. Seeing Rong Zhi enter, Tuoba Yun laughed repeatedly. By now, Tuoba Yun completely understood that both he and Rong Zhi were pawns of Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong had known about his plot for a long time but still came to Xishan, calculating against him and putting Rong Zhi in danger.

Such deep cunning was truly chilling. After Tuoba Yun was taken away, Rong Zhi's expression remained solemn. From receiving the news to protect the emperor until now, given time, he could certainly have figured out the whole story. But he didn't try to think; instead, driven by emotion, he rushed to protect the emperor in a state of anxiety. He didn't understand why this rebellion, which could clearly have been avoided, was still allowed to happen by Tuoba Hong.

Both he and Tuoba Yun were his relatives and close officials; his actions were truly disheartening. Rong Zhi was disappointed in Tuoba Hong, but how could Tuoba Hong not be disappointed in him? For the sake of romantic affections, Rong Zhi had offended court officials, causing instability in the government. Yet, he deluded himself into thinking he could stabilize the court by himself. And this act of protecting the emperor in Xishan was merely reckless bravery.

What Rong Zhi should have done was to control the overall situation in Pingcheng, not rush here to show off. Every word Tuoba Hong said was reasonable, but Rong Zhi was simply unhappy. He left in a huff, and Liu Chuyu chased after him. Just then, Huo Xuan arrived and entered the room to see Tuoba Hong.

Episode 43 Recap

Inside the room, Tuoba Hong received a report from his subordinate saying that Rong Zhi was very angry and had left with Chuyu. Tuoba Hong dismissed his subordinate, and seeing Huo Xuan hurriedly enter the room, he revealed his first smile of the day. Tuoba Hong designed this trip to Xishan not only to thwart Tuoba Yun's conspiracy but also to test Rong Zhi, but Rong Zhi's actions disappointed him greatly.

Huo Xuan understood Tuoba Hong's actions, but Rong Zhi also did nothing wrong. Tuoba Hong considered the imperial court, while Rong Zhi cared for family affection; neither was wrong. Amidst the beautiful lake and mountains, greenery abounded. Rong Zhi stopped by the lake, and Chuyu hurriedly caught up. She worried that Rong Zhi was sad, but Rong Zhi secretly shook his head. He didn't think he had done anything wrong this time.

Regarding the Xishan incident, Tuoba Hong was not only calculating against Tuoba Yun but also testing him. If he had received news of the emperor's escort being in danger and hadn't come, Tuoba Hong would likely deal with him first upon returning, because his ambition was too great. What Tuoba Hong wanted was a regent whose emotions outweighed his rationality.

Rong Zhi told Chuyu all this because he wanted to let her know how complicated court politics were and didn't want her to get involved. However, Chuyu felt that no matter how complex or dangerous the situation, she just wanted Rong Zhi to be safe. She liked Rong Zhi, and no matter what, she would not abandon him to danger.

Having grown up amidst schemes, Rong Zhi felt a surge of warmth from Chuyu's pure affection, and he held her tightly. Inside Pingcheng Palace, the Empress Dowager called her elder brother into the room. Her elder brother from the Feng family had rashly brought private soldiers into the palace this time. Although it was to save the Empress Dowager, it was indeed too reckless.

After Peng Ge took control of the imperial palace, he never stopped Ma Zhongliang from forcing the Empress Dowager to commit suicide. This was to monitor the movements of all forces. The Feng family's private soldiers were originally well-hidden, but now they were exposed under Tuoba Hong's gaze. For the Feng family to remain safe, they had to surrender their private soldiers. Having been schemed against by Tuoba Hong, the Empress Dowager felt unhappy.

She specifically went to Consort Qi's palace to tell Consort Qi the news of Tuoba Yun's failure. Seeing Consort Qi's broken and pained expression, the Empress Dowager felt a little better. Consort Qi collapsed to the ground in despair. She understood Tuoba Hong; given Tuoba Hong's ruthlessness, her son would definitely not escape this calamity. Tuoba Yun had kept his rebellion a secret from Consort Qi, hoping that if things were exposed, he could save his mother's life.

Consort Qi knew her son's painstaking efforts, but what was he to do himself? After Tuoba Hong returned to the palace, Consort Qi rushed over to plead for her son. She knelt on the ground, desperately pleading, appealing to emotion and reason. This incident, she argued, was largely instigated by Ma Zhongliang.

Seeing that Tuoba Hong showed no sign of relenting, Consort Qi recalled many years ago, when Tuoba Yun was especially kind to Tuoba Hong, always thinking of him first when he had good things. Tuoba Hong felt moved, but the court officials were watching. Ma Zhongliang insisted that Tuoba Yun was the mastermind of the rebellion, so even if Tuoba Hong wanted to act partially, he had no way to do so. Consort Qi understood Tuoba Hong's meaning.

Since there was no reason for partiality, she would create one for them. In the Regent's Residence, officials close to Rong Zhi were all urging him to submit a memorial, requesting Tuoba Hong to deal with Tuoba Yun's matter as soon as possible. No sooner had the officials left than Rong Zhi received news that Consort Qi had committed suicide in the palace.

At the same time, when Tuoba Yun saw his mother, who had taken full responsibility for the crime of being the rebellion's mastermind and hanged herself, his heart was instantly cut by a knife, and all his hopes turned to ashes. Rong Zhi hurried into the palace. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw Tuoba Yun running out, delirious and already out of his mind. At the same time, Hong Xiu was changing Tuoba Hong's dressing.

Tuoba Hong had suffered a leg injury in Xishan. Tuoba Hong seemed to be the biggest winner, but people ultimately have emotions, and he didn't feel very good in his heart either. Le Yun went to seek an audience with Rong Zhi but was stopped by Shen Yu. Although Le Yun's act of reporting to Chuyu was part of Tuoba Yun's scheme, her starting point was still on Rong Zhi's side. Chuyu spoke to Rong Zhi on her behalf.

Le Yun had come to plead for Tuoba Yun. Rong Zhi and Chuyu went with her to Kangwang's Residence. Tuoba Yun was completely mad. Le Yun begged Rong Zhi to spare him, and she herself was willing to stay by Tuoba Yun's side forever to care for him. Rong Zhi had originally placed Le Yun by Tuoba Yun's side as a pawn, never expecting to ruin Le Yun's life. However, judging by Le Yun's appearance, she was willing.

Coming out of Kangwang's Residence, Rong Zhi was heavy-hearted. Consort Qi had taken the blame for the rebellion by dying, hoping Tuoba Hong would spare Tuoba Yun's life. Tuoba Hong's order hadn't even been given yet when Tuoba Yun went mad. If he went mad, he would have to be mad for the rest of his life, otherwise his life simply couldn't be saved.

Chuyu felt for Rong Zhi's complicated situation and swore she would protect Rong Zhi for a lifetime. Listening to Chuyu's straightforward confession, Rong Zhi rarely blushed. Chuyu entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager thought it was Chuyu who had arrived in time at Xishan to save Rong Zhi.

However, after hearing from Chuyu that it was Huo Xuan who had saved him, she reminded Chuyu to prepare for a rainy day and guard against those with ill intentions in advance. Chuyu had not yet fully understood the Empress Dowager's words when she heard about the Empress Dowager executing all of Consort Qi's palace staff, which greatly surprised her.

After returning to her residence, she pondered the Empress Dowager's advice to prepare for a rainy day, as if someone wanted to snatch Rong Zhi from her. Lan Ruo heard her words and hesitated, wanting to warn her but not knowing where to start. Since Lan Ruo didn't speak, Chuyu had no way of knowing. Rong Zhi was not in the residence. Tian Rujing seized the opportunity to sneak in and led Chuyu out of the residence. Tian Rujing knew Chuyu cared about Rong Zhi, so he specifically came to tell her Rong Zhi's whereabouts.

Episode 44 Recap

Liu Chuyu was displeased with Tian Rujing, but she really wanted to know where Rong Zhi had gone. Tian Rujing took Liu Chuyu to Huo Xuan's residence. In the garden, Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan drank and chatted merrily, wishing her a happy birthday, and specifically giving her a dagger that could cut iron like mud. However, Huo Xuan wasn't that happy after seeing the dagger.

Her mother died in childbirth when she was born, and her father raised her as a boy from a young age, never letting her play with anything girls liked, so she could only wield swords and spears. Rong Zhi once said he disliked women who clung to others like dodder, so she tried her best to stand alongside him, but she had never asked Rong Zhi if he truly loved her.

Before Rong Zhi could answer, Huo Xuan suddenly interrupted him, afraid to hear the answer she didn't want to hear. Liu Chuyu felt distressed watching this scene; she accidentally stepped on a flowerpot by the wall, and Tian Rujing, in a panic, took her away. Tian Rujing made Liu Chuyu face the facts.

He said the woman in Rong Zhi's heart was Huo Xuan, and in the hearts of the people of Northern Wei, Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan were a match made in heaven, while she, Liu Chuyu, was just a Southern Song princess Rong Zhi was forced to marry. Without hearing Rong Zhi's own answer, Liu Chuyu was unwilling to believe Tian Rujing's words. She returned to the Huo residence to ask Rong Zhi for the answer herself.

Rong Zhi hesitated to speak. Liu Chuyu, angered, rushed to the street and loudly asked passersby if they all believed Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan were a couple. The answer was affirmative; it seemed everyone knew about it, yet only Liu Chuyu was unaware and foolishly confessed her feelings to Rong Zhi. Her heart was broken. Liu Chuyu returned to the Prince Regent's residence and told Qing Yue to pack their belongings immediately; she wanted to leave.

Shen Yu told her about Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan. Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan had fought together on the battlefield, their bond was deep, and their engagement had been set long ago. Moreover, both held high positions; if Rong Zhi was not with Huo Xuan, it would be tantamount to Northern Wei abandoning the Huo family army. Therefore, even if Rong Zhi was not with Huo Xuan, Tuoba Hong would not agree.

Liu Chuyu didn't care about these complexities; she only knew that Rong Zhi had deceived her, and she wanted to leave. Now the city gates were closed, so Liu Chuyu couldn't leave tonight. Rong Zhi stood in the garden with his hands behind his back, fearing that Liu Chuyu would not be able to leave tomorrow either. Liu Chuyu had caused a scene at Huo Xuan's residence, and Tuoba Hong must have already known about it.

Tuoba Hong certainly had informants around them and would not allow Liu Chuyu to leave just like that. Huo Xuan was walking on the street, her brows furrowed, when she suddenly heard Gu Huan calling her name from across the way. Gu Huan seemed very happy as he waved to her, doing his best to cheer her up. Seeing Huo Xuan finally smile, Gu Huan felt relieved and took out the longevity noodles he had prepared long ago.

He had put in so much effort; how could Huo Xuan not see it? It was just that the matters in her heart were difficult to express. Huo Xuan got up to leave but accidentally stumbled. Fortunately, Gu Huan caught her in time, though the posture was somewhat ambiguous. Huo Xuan got up and left, leaving Gu Huan staring blankly at the hand he had just used to support her.

He inadvertently discovered a hairpin Huo Xuan had dropped on the ground and carefully picked it up to cherish. Early the next morning, Liu Chuyu left the Prince Regent's residence with Qing Yue, but was forcefully stopped at the entrance by Peng Ge and taken to see Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong also summoned Huo Xuan at the same time. Liu Chuyu had always been headstrong, insisting on returning to Southern Song, which greatly angered Tuoba Hong.

Fortunately, the Empress Dowager came in to mediate. There was only one Prince Regent's residence, and Rong Zhi could only love one woman. Huo Xuan and Rong Zhi had a prior agreement, and Liu Chuyu had also gone through a grand ceremony with Rong Zhi. Frankly, both had valid points. Huo Xuan proposed a fair competition with Liu Chuyu: whoever won would have Rong Zhi. Tuoba Hong agreed.

When Rong Zhi heard about Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan's competition, he angrily sought out Liu Chuyu, feeling both angry and worried. On one hand, he was angry that neither of them had consulted him, the person involved, before setting up the competition. On the other hand, he was worried about Liu Chuyu, as the training Huo Xuan received from childhood was not something Liu Chuyu could endure.

Liu Chuyu didn't care what Rong Zhi said; the competition had already been set. Moreover, she wasn't just competing for Rong Zhi; everyone said she was useless and unworthy of Rong Zhi, the Prince Regent of Northern Wei, but she simply wanted to prove to everyone that she, Liu Chuyu, was no worse than anyone else. This competition was divided into three rounds. The first round was a wealth competition.

Tuoba Hong gave Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan one thousand gold each, asking them to buy things and then give them to the common people as Tuoba Hong's gifts. Whoever's items were most popular would win. Liu Chuyu exchanged all the gold for silver flakes and scattered them in the river, which was very popular.

Huo Xuan had a sudden inspiration after seeing this: she exchanged the gold for small gold foils and directly created a golden rain, attracting more than half of Pingcheng's residents to watch. This golden rain was beautiful and spectacular, and Liu Chuyu was completely convinced of her loss. The second round was a poverty competition. Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan were to each find a poor person in Pingcheng and make him wealthy within ten days.

Rong Zhi specifically went to Huo Xuan; he thought this competition was absurd. Huo Xuan should focus on the military camp instead of fooling around with Liu Chuyu. If Liu Chuyu lost this competition, she would leave Pingcheng. If Huo Xuan lost, with her proud personality, she would also definitely leave. What would happen to the Huo family army then? This was simply a lose-lose competition.

Huo Xuan didn't want to rationally analyze the situation; in her eyes, nothing was more important than Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi was persuaded by her and agreed not to interfere further. Liu Chuyu was worrying about where to find a poor person with potential. She was frowning as she leaned on a bridge when suddenly a child with a dirty face ran up and stole her purse.

Qing Yue caught the child, who was very resourceful, using the surrounding people's sympathy for the weak to make them condemn Liu Chuyu for not helping the poor. Liu Chuyu logically resolved the incident and also valued the child's intelligence, wanting him to help her in the competition. Meanwhile, Gu Huan was helping a poor person on the street and was almost beaten, fortunately Huo Xuan appeared in time to save him.

Episode 45 Recap

Huo Xuan helped Gu Huan out of a predicament. She happened to find the poor person she was looking for, who was a destitute individual who had failed at raising chickens. At the same time, Liu Chuyu brought the little beggar who stole her money back to her residence for discipline. The little beggar was uncooperative. Rong Zhi deliberately used a provocation tactic to stimulate the little beggar, coercing and tempting him until he repented.

After Rong Zhi left, Liu Chuyu wholeheartedly taught the little beggar. In the palace, the Empress Dowager heard about Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan selecting the poor people. She specifically sent her maidservant Qin Gu to the Regent's Residence to remind Liu Chuyu to be especially wary of Huo Xuan. When Qin Gu arrived, Qing Yue was teaching the little beggar to stand in a horse stance.

Qin Gu brought the Empress Dowager's gifts, hoping Liu Chuyu would use them to win the competition. Unexpectedly, upon hearing Qin Gu's intention, Liu Chuyu directly refused, stating that if she were to win, she would win fair and square. Qin Gu was angered by Liu Chuyu's ungratefulness and ridiculed her as foolish in front of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager had done all she could and could now only wait and see how things unfolded.

In the blink of an eye, the ten-day deadline arrived. Huo Xuan used the dead chicken meat of the chicken farmer as bait, placing it in the river, and caught a large number of valuable silver dragonfish. As for Liu Chuyu, she showcased her results in the bustling market. Liu Chuyu gathered many people like the little beggar, taught them acrobatics, enabling them to support themselves through their own efforts.

The little beggars' acrobatic skills were novel and clever, receiving widespread praise. Although the children Liu Chuyu found did not earn as much money as Huo Xuan, it was better to teach someone to fish than to give them fish. Huo Xuan conceded defeat. Moreover, Liu Chuyu helped war orphans, children who were originally the responsibility of the court. Liu Chuyu's action benefited the Great Wei.

As a result, these children left behind by the war gained the attention of Tuoba Hong, and would no longer be displaced. Liu Chuyu won the second round. Huo Xuan's reason for not contending was not only for the sake of these children but also because she was confident she would win the third round. Now Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan were tied one-to-one, and how to set the topic for the third round was indeed a problem.

In the Imperial Garden, Hong Xiu leisurely cut flowers to pass the time. Rong Zhi specifically came over to remind her not to forget her original intention for entering the palace. When Hong Xiu first entered the palace, Rong Zhi had been of great help, and Hong Xiu knew she had to repay this favor. Hong Xiu accompanied Tuoba Hong as he strolled in the Imperial Garden. Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan were both stubborn, proud, and of noble status.

Regardless of who lost between the two of them, it would be a lose-lose situation for the Great Wei. However, in Hong Xiu's opinion, Tuoba Hong was overthinking things. Tuoba Hong believed that Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan were resolute and would never share a husband, but Hong Xiu thought it was not entirely impossible. Huo Xuan actually just wanted to prove her feelings for Rong Zhi, while Liu Chuyu merely wanted to demonstrate her capabilities.

So, as for the topic of the third round, before Hong Xiu could finish her sentence, a palace servant suddenly came trembling to report. He said that the Flowing Cup Pavilion was haunted; last night, a night watchman passing by the Flowing Cup Pavilion had all his blood drained. The Empress Dowager was greatly surprised and filled with panic upon hearing about the Flowing Cup Pavilion incident.

Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan came to the palace to await the topic for the third round and arrived at the Flowing Cup Pavilion earlier. After Huo Xuan finished examining the body, Tuoba Hong then hastily arrived with Hong Xiu. The first person to discover the body was a mute maid. The Empress Dowager arrived shortly after. Her reaction to seeing the body was intense, completely unlike her usual calm demeanor.

Hong Xiu stood by, deep in thought, and suggested to Tuoba Hong that apprehending the true culprit behind the Flowing Cup Pavilion incident be the topic for the third round. Although the Empress Dowager strongly opposed it, neither Liu Chuyu nor Huo Xuan had any objections. Thus, the third round was set: a ten-day period, where they could find helpers, and whoever uncovered the truth first would be the ultimate winner.

At Gu Huan's medical clinic, after Gu Huan meticulously examined the body, he suspected that the person had been severely frightened before death, and had all their blood drained in an instant upon seeing something, before they even had time to react. At the same time, Liu Chuyu inquired about the Flowing Cup Pavilion from Shen Yu. Shen Yu found it inconvenient to say more about royal affairs.

Rong Zhi told Liu Chuyu that the Flowing Cup Pavilion was the palace of the late Madam Yue. Madam Yue was the birth mother of the Eighth Prince, but tragically, she passed away young. With such an incident occurring at the Flowing Cup Pavilion, rumors quickly spread throughout the palace. Palace servants all speculated that it was Madam Yue's ghost causing trouble. This talk was overheard by the Empress Dowager, who severely punished the gossiping palace servants.

At the same time, she decided to send twenty skilled guards to stationed at the Flowing Cup Pavilion, refusing to believe she couldn't catch the person pretending to be a ghost. That night, all twenty guards tragically died at the Flowing Cup Pavilion. In order to solve the case, Liu Chuyu planned to investigate the Flowing Cup Pavilion at night.

However, before she could even begin, she was discovered and caught by Rong Zhi beforehand, who tied her to a pillar in his home. Liu Chuyu felt disgraced and was persistently haggling with Rong Zhi. Shen Yu suddenly arrived to report that something had happened again at the Flowing Cup Pavilion last night, and all twenty guards stationed there had died.

The incident at the Flowing Cup Pavilion was too bizarre and terrifying, so Huo Xuan advised Liu Chuyu not to act rashly and to prioritize her own safety. Liu Chuyu was stubborn and naturally would not give up the investigation. She and Qing Yue searched for clues inside the Flowing Cup Pavilion and saw the mute maid again.

Episode 46 Recap

The mute maid was Lady Yue's former palace maid. Liu Chuyu instinctively felt that she knew something, but the mute maid had her tongue cut out and her fingers chopped off. As Liu Chuyu was in shock, Aunt Qin suddenly arrived, saying the Empress Dowager had summoned Liu Chuyu. In the Empress Dowager's palace, Tuoba Hong was also present. The Empress Dowager pressed for updates on the matter.

Although Liu Chuyu had not found any clues, she was confident that she could find the true culprit. However, the Empress Dowager was impatient; she proposed sealing off the Flowing Goblet Pavilion and ending the investigation, as there was already much gossip and rumors circulating in the palace. Liu Chuyu insisted on finding the true culprit, and the Empress Dowager's attitude about sealing off the Flowing Goblet Pavilion was also very firm. Tuoba Hong sensed the Empress Dowager's unusual behavior.

Just then, Hong Xiu arrived. She said that the matter of the Flowing Goblet Pavilion had spread outside the palace, and if they sealed it off now, it would likely fail to silence the public and instead appear as if they had something to hide. Moreover, wouldn't doing so hurt the Eighth Prince's feelings? From this perspective, thoroughly investigating the Flowing Goblet Pavilion incident was the most appropriate course of action.

Tuoba Hong was convinced by Hong Xiu and ordered a continued thorough investigation of the Flowing Goblet Pavilion. However, the Flowing Goblet Pavilion was indeed dangerous, and Hong Xiu reminded Liu Chuyu to pay attention to her safety. As Liu Chuyu walked back to her residence, she saw monks coming and going on the road and suddenly had an idea.

She found the best craftsman in the city and had him bring a golden Buddha back overnight, preparing to enshrine it in the Flowing Goblet Pavilion to suppress evil spirits. Rong Zhi was not in the residence these past few days, so Liu Chuyu's explanation was only for Shen Yu to hear. What she really wanted to do was hide inside the golden Buddha at night to see what would happen in the Flowing Goblet Pavilion.

Liu Chuyu sent Qing Yue away and hid alone inside the golden Buddha. A sudden gust of wind swept through the room, and a broom fell to the ground with a clang. Liu Chuyu screamed in terror, leaving Qing Yue anxiously waiting outside. Rong Zhi rushed into the palace in a hurry, completely disregarding his dignity as regent. He even fell because he ran too fast. He ignored his appearance, scrambled up, and continued running.

When he reached the Flowing Goblet Pavilion and saw a corpse covered with white cloth on the ground, Rong Zhi thought it was Liu Chuyu, and for a moment, his heart felt dead. Suddenly hearing Liu Chuyu's voice, Rong Zhi turned and hugged her tightly. He never wanted to experience this feeling of loss and rediscovery again. Last night, fortunately, Qing Yue told Shen Yu about Liu Chuyu's bad idea.

Shen Yu and Tuoba Hong requested an imperial decree and pulled Liu Chuyu out before dark. The dead body was that of a condemned prisoner who had volunteered to participate in the test. Huo Xuan heard about what happened last night and brought Gu Huan into the palace for an autopsy. There were no major findings, but it further strengthened Huo Xuan's belief in uncovering the truth.

Huo Xuan had originally come to look for clues, but seeing Rong Zhi care so much about Liu Chuyu, she felt distressed and turned to leave. Gu Huan followed Huo Xuan out. He knew why Huo Xuan was angry, but seeing her like this, he was also angry. Gu Huan suddenly leaned down and kissed Huo Xuan's cheek. Huo Xuan reacted strongly, immediately slapping Gu Huan.

Gu Huan expressed his love for her, but Huo Xuan rejected him without hesitation; in her heart, the only person she loved was always Rong Zhi. When Huo Xuan left the palace, she bumped into a maid who was carrying a broken glazed lamp from the Liuli Palace, intending to replace it. With the collision, the glazed lamp shattered further. Huo Xuan picked up a shard and suddenly had an idea.

In the garden, the Empress Dowager once again suggested sealing off the Liuli Palace. Liu Chuyu tried her best to argue against it, and both sides were in a deadlock. Huo Xuan suddenly arrived and proposed holding a sacrifice ceremony in the Liuli Palace to thoroughly suppress the evil spirits there. She also invited Tuoba Hong to personally preside, saying that dragon qi would be used to suppress ghost qi.

The sacrifice was prepared, and Tuoba Hong, Hong Xiu, Rong Zhi, Liu Chuyu, and others waited outside the Flowing Goblet Pavilion early. As night fell, everyone looked through the windows and saw the eerie events inside the pavilion. The ox used for the sacrifice was attacked by a swarm of butterflies, and in a moment, only its bones remained.

Those outside watched in horror, while only the mute maid, who had been captured, showed a faint smile at the corner of her mouth. The reason Huo Xuan thought of this method was that Liu Chuyu had left green powder on the golden Buddha in the Liuli Palace. Huo Xuan thus suspected that the true culprit might be a type of insect, which led her to devise the sacrifice.

Those blood-sucking butterflies had also been kept in the Liuli Palace all along, usually hidden on screens, appearing fake and thus not attracting attention. The Empress Dowager had a guilty conscience; someone had put blood-sucking butterflies in her tea, terrifying her and causing her to lose all composure. In her panic, she pointed the finger at Huo Xuan. The Empress Dowager's words were baseless.

Huo Xuan pointed out that the mute maid was the one who had kept the blood-sucking butterflies. Tuoba Hong immediately ordered the mute maid to write a testimony. In the mute maid's account, the Empress Dowager had killed Lady Yue back then, and to cover her tracks, she found an excuse to kill those around Lady Yue.

The mute maid had raised the blood-sucking butterflies to avenge Lady Yue; even if she couldn't get revenge, she could at least draw attention to the matter. However, with only the mute maid as a witness, the Empress Dowager desperately tried to argue. Hong Xiu stepped forward to speak for the mute maid, stating that while the Empress Dowager was beautiful, her heart was terrifyingly evil, a rare sight in the world.

Episode 47 Recap

Hong Xiu, as she spoke, suddenly brought up the matter of the late emperor's death. She said that the late emperor had known the cause of Madam Yue's death during his lifetime, but at that time, the Empress Dowager's influence was already well-established, and the late emperor dared not reveal the truth, dying in a mix of grief and indignation. Tuoba Hong began to suspect the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager felt uneasy in her heart and wanted to use family ties to manipulate Tuoba Hong and Rong Zhi. Rong Zhi remained expressionless after hearing this. Ma Xueyun's death had made him suspicious.

Upon careful investigation, he discovered that it was the Empress Dowager who had been instigating discord between Liu Chuyu and Ma Xueyun, and now she was using the same method to create friction between Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan, fearing that Rong Zhi's power would grow with their help and eventually become uncontrollable by her. The Empress Dowager denied her actions, but Tuoba Hong was already convinced that she had deliberately forced the late emperor to his death back then.

He issued an edict for the Empress Dowager to recuperate quietly in Xuanguang Palace from now on, without permission to leave the hall. The mute maid saw the desired outcome and immediately committed suicide by crashing into the main hall. Liu Chuyu and Huo Xuan's three rounds of competition were complete, with Huo Xuan ultimately winning. Liu Chuyu had nothing to say about the result, but she had a question.

Liu Chuyu followed Huo Xuan out, wanting to know if it was Huo Xuan who had orchestrated the use of the Liubei Palace incident to expose and suppress the Empress Dowager. Huo Xuan was very frank; like Liu Chuyu, she only wanted to clarify the matter of the vampire butterflies' killings. Liu Chuyu received Huo Xuan's answer and told her that she would accept her loss and leave on her own in three days.

In the Imperial Garden, Liu Chuyu came to find Hong Xiu. Previously, Liu Chuyu thought Hong Xiu was simple, but after this incident, she suddenly found Hong Xiu somewhat incomprehensible. The dance Hong Xiu performed when she first entered the palace was deliberate, so was her affection for Tuoba Hong also fake? Liu Chuyu posed this question, and Hong Xiu chuckled lightly.

Tuoba Hong was attracted to her youth and beauty, and she liked Tuoba Hong's power and nobility; this was her view on relationships. Liu Chuyu couldn't understand Hong Xiu's perspective. She asked about the mastermind behind the Liubei Palace incident, and Hong Xiu told her that both she and the mute maid were pawns in someone else's hands, and that Rong Zhi had already been planning this for a long time.

Liu Chuyu was so surprised she couldn't accept what she heard. Hong Xiu told her to go to the Feng family to understand. After Liu Chuyu left, Hong Xiu lightly touched her belly and told her personal maid that the most terrifying thing in this world was not vampire butterflies, but the human heart. Liu Chuyu hurried to the Feng family, just in time to see Shen Yu sealing it off.

Feng Tai, the eldest brother of the Feng family, repeatedly claimed that Rong Zhi was ungrateful and had betrayed his family. Meanwhile, in Xuanguang Palace, the Empress Dowager held toys and clothes that Tuoba Hong had used as a child, muttering to herself about her affection for Tuoba Hong. Outside the hall, the eunuchs monitoring her carefully closed the doors and windows. Rong Zhi returned to his manor, where Liu Chuyu was already waiting in the study.

Her expression was solemn as she questioned Rong Zhi why he was so unfathomable. He had annihilated the Feng family and manipulated everyone, so were she and Huo Xuan also pawns in his hands? To Liu Chuyu's repeated accusations, Rong Zhi did not offer a single defense. Liu Chuyu left in anger. In truth, no matter how Rong Zhi schemed, his care for Liu Chuyu was genuine, but if he didn't say it, how would Liu Chuyu know?

Liu Chuyu felt disappointed in her heart. She confided her feelings to Qing Yue. Lan Ruo, who was eavesdropping nearby, was discovered. Lan Ruo was Rong Zhi's person and genuinely good to Liu Chuyu, so Liu Chuyu promised Lan Ruo she would not leave without saying goodbye. As night fell, Lan Ruo told Qing Yue interesting things about winter in Pingcheng. Qing Yue's eyes lit up, wishing winter would arrive immediately. Liu Chuyu knew Lan Ruo's intention but said nothing.

Lan Ruo advised her not to leave Pingcheng, but Liu Chuyu shook her head; her resolve to leave was firm. Wang Ze secretly climbed over the wall again to find Qing Yue and boldly confessed his feelings to her, which angered Qing Yue, who cursed him as a hooligan. Wang Ze tried to pursue her but was stopped by Shen Yu. Qing Yue was simple, but Shen Yu was not.

He knew Wang Ze was testing Qing Yue to find out if Liu Chuyu would truly honor her bet. Wang Ze admitted he had a bit of that intention, but his feelings for Qing Yue were also genuine. Qing Yue was annoyed by Wang Ze's sudden confession and was playing with a slingshot in the courtyard. When Shen Yu came over, Qing Yue mysteriously slipped him something that looked like a sachet but also like a flour bag.

She then turned and ran off, leaving Shen Yu bewildered. Liu Chuyu thought Qing Yue had given him a large sachet, but Qing Yue whispered to her that it was a flour bag. Shen Yu had been trying to curry favor with her to get news of Liu Chuyu, and Qing Yue gave him the flour bag to make it easier for him to send things.

Liu Chuyu was defeated by Qing Yue's slowness and joined her in playing with water in the courtyard. Their laughter reached the study. Rong Zhi heard the sound and immediately ran towards Danfeng Pavilion. Seeing Rong Zhi enter, Lan Ruo pulled Qing Yue out the door to give them some alone time. Rong Zhi was usually restrained in his emotions, but upon seeing Liu Chuyu, he suddenly couldn't hold back. He embraced Liu Chuyu, hoping she wouldn't leave Pingcheng.

Liu Chuyu asked him why, and Rong Zhi actually said it was for the greater good of the country. In his heart, the nation would always be greater than personal feelings. Liu Chuyu felt distressed and disappointed after hearing this, suddenly feeling very weary. Meanwhile, in Prince Kang's Manor, Tuoba Yun was deranged, with only Le Yun caring for him. Tuoba Yun accidentally knocked over a bowl, and the guards came in and started beating and kicking him.

Even though Le Yun shielded him, he still inevitably got injured. At this time in the palace, Tuoba Hong, with a solemn expression, told Hong Xiu that his playmate from years ago had not died accidentally, but had been deliberately killed by him because he suspected she had leaked his information. Afterwards, he knew he had wronged her but dared not regret it, as the path of an emperor was inherently cold-blooded and ruthless.

Too many things had happened recently, first Tuoba Yun's rebellion, and then the Empress Dowager's incident. Tuoba Hong could not afford to be soft-hearted; he had hardened his heart to reach where he was today, step by step. Tuoba Hong tightly embraced Hong Xiu, now only having her by his side. Hong Xiu touched her slightly bulging belly and promised to always stay with him. Liu Chuyu ignored Rong Zhi. She sat on a swing in the garden, lost in thought. Rong Zhi quietly came over to push the swing, wanting to have a proper talk with her.

Episode 48 Recap

Rong Zhi came today specifically to win back Liu Chuyu. After Liu Chuyu discovered him, he revealed a slight smile and took Liu Chuyu out to play. Today was a grand Buddhist event, and present at the gathering was Jiran, a venerable monk from the Great Song. Rong Zhi wanted to introduce Liu Chuyu to Master Jiran after the event.

He couldn't let Liu Chuyu return to the Great Song, but he was willing to let her meet someone from her homeland and hear familiar accents to ease her homesickness. Liu Chuyu was touched. She suddenly saw Tian Rujing, dressed in black and masked, flash by at the street corner. Puzzled, Liu Chuyu sent Rong Zhi away, intending to investigate herself. Tian Rujing came to ask Master Jiran for guidance. Liu Chuyu squeezed out from the crowded people.

When Tian Rujing saw her, he quickly left. At the Huo Mansion, although Huo Xuan won the competition against Liu Chuyu, she was not happy. Winning the competition but losing Rong Zhi was not worth it. During the final round of the competition, Huo Xuan had already sensed that Rong Zhi's heart leaned towards Liu Chuyu. Disheartened, she went for a walk on the street and coincidentally met Gu Huan.

Gu Huan went to great lengths to give her flowers and cheer her up, but Huo Xuan was unmoved; her heart only held Rong Zhi. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu followed Tian Rujing all the way to a secluded corner. Tian Rujing told Liu Chuyu that the truth behind her past political marriage was not simple. At the same time, in the Kang Wang Mansion, Qi Heng secretly sneaked in, intending to rescue Tuoba Yun.

However, Le Yun knew that Qi Heng's power was insufficient to achieve this. Taking advantage of Qi Heng's lowered guard, she killed him and had Tuoba Yun disguise himself as Qi Heng to escape. Le Yun had long known that Tuoba Yun was not insane. She wanted to help him, but her own strength was meager. Qi Heng might have been the last chance.

She set fire to the mansion, sacrificed herself, and created the illusion that Tuoba Yun was dead. As the fire blazed, Le Yun exchanged a final look with Tuoba Yun, hoping he would take care. She recalled every bit of their acquaintance, from their first meeting. Regardless of their initial intentions, their feelings were real. Rong Zhi was sent by Liu Chuyu to buy pastries, but after he bought them, he couldn't find Liu Chuyu.

As he was anxiously searching on the street, Shen Yu arrived and told him that the Kang Wang Mansion was on fire and Tuoba Yun was dead. Rong Zhi instructed Shen Yu to find Liu Chuyu and safely escort her back to the mansion. After inspecting the situation at the Kang Wang Mansion himself, he entered the palace to confess his perceived failure.

Tuoba Hong attributed Rong Zhi's dereliction of duty to Liu Chuyu, believing that Rong Zhi's feelings for Liu Chuyu had surpassed his concern for state affairs. Tuoba Hong wanted to arrange a marriage between Rong Zhi and Huo Xuan, but Rong Zhi refused. Meanwhile, Tian Rujing handed Liu Chuyu a bottle of colorless, odorless poison, telling her that as long as Rong Zhi died, she would regain her freedom.

Liu Chuyu didn't believe Tian Rujing's words and urgently wanted him to tell her that none of it was true. Just then, Shen Yu arrived, and Tian Rujing hastily departed. Liu Chuyu suddenly gripped the medicine bottle in her hand tightly. At the same time, in the palace, Huo Xuan followed Rong Zhi out. Rong Zhi wanted to make Huo Xuan disappointed in him, so he deliberately said that he had only been using her before.

Huo Xuan understood Rong Zhi; he had even saved her life, and she knew he wasn't that kind of person. When Huo Xuan exposed the lie, Rong Zhi did not argue further. Huo Xuan was the best confidante of his life, but not a lover. Huo Xuan only wanted to ask him one question: if one day his ambitions conflicted with Liu Chuyu, how would he choose?

Rong Zhi was silent for a moment, then told her that he would not forget his responsibilities to his country. Huo Xuan sneered, then left the palace in the opposite direction from Rong Zhi. Tuoba Hong was plagued by headaches over Rong Zhi's affair. Everyone knew who should be chosen between Huo Xuan and Liu Chuyu, but Rong Zhi seemed to be thinking of something else entirely; his choice of Liu Chuyu was, in Tuoba Hong's eyes, utterly foolish.

Hong Xiu, from a woman's perspective, enlightened him: Huo Xuan was beautiful indeed, but too intelligent and formidable. Although Liu Chuyu was also clever, her mind was simple, which was precisely why she attracted the complex-minded Rong Zhi. Tuoba Hong merely heard Hong Xiu's point of view; it was possible to have both fish and bear's paw, yet Rong Zhi chose the most foolish way to resolve the situation. However, he had already prepared a gift for Rong Zhi.

Rong Zhi returned to his mansion as a light drizzle began to fall. He sighed deeply and placed the pastries outside Liu Chuyu's room. Liu Chuyu heard the movement and came out, but Rong Zhi had already left, leaving only the bag of pastries on a small table in her courtyard. Returning to his own room, he suddenly discovered a beautiful woman lying on his bed. Meanwhile, Liu Chuyu came to find Rong Zhi.

The chief clerk outside the door repeatedly blocked her, telling her there was a beauty bestowed by the Emperor inside, implying she could not enter now. Liu Chuyu gripped the medicine bottle in her hand, turned, and left. Before leaving, she ordered the chief clerk who had offended her to kneel for an hour in front of the door before standing up.

Shortly after Liu Chuyu left, the imperial beauty was unceremoniously thrown out by Rong Zhi, who showed no pity for her, ordering her to also kneel for an hour in front of the door. Liu Chuyu sat on the swing in the courtyard, looking at the medicine bottle in her hand, and recalled Tian Rujing's words.

Tian Rujing had told her that Rong Zhi was destined by the Tanlang star, and Tanlang has no emperor's destiny; it can only be broken after being impacted by the Qisha star, and Liu Chuyu happened to be destined by the Qisha star. Tian Rujing said that Rong Zhi was good to Liu Chuyu only to make her willingly serve his purposes. Liu Chuyu didn't believe it then, but now she couldn't help but suspect Rong Zhi's intentions. The next day, Huo Xuan resigned from her official position at court. Tuoba Hong not only disagreed but also bestowed immense rewards upon her.

Episode 49 Recap

As soon as Tuoba Hong's reward was announced, Huo Xuan still insisted on resigning. Other ministers successively said she was ungrateful. Seeing the atmosphere becoming increasingly tense, Rong Zhi timely brought up other matters, diverting everyone's attention. After the court session, the officials walked and discussed in small groups, openly disparaging Huo Xuan for being a woman. Huo Xuan followed behind them and listened all the way.

As a woman, she was no less skilled than men on the battlefield, far stronger than these men who only knew how to grumble in the imperial court. In front of them, Huo Xuan took off her armor and hung it on Yonghua Gate, using her actions to show her determination to resign. After Huo Xuan departed, Rong Zhi asked the officials to bring honor to themselves through their own actions.

Huo Xuan returned to her residence and told Wang Ze the news of her resignation. Wang Ze was shocked to hear it. He knew Huo Xuan did this because her heart was broken by Rong Zhi. Huo Xuan was indeed heartbroken; she planned to hand over the Huo family army to her Third Uncle. Wang Ze was well aware of Huo Xuan's prestige among the Huo family army.

He was certain that if the news of Huo Xuan's resignation due to Rong Zhi became known to the army's brothers someday, a mutiny would be inevitable. Huo Xuan's mind was made up; no matter what Wang Ze said, it could not change her decision. Wang Ze's father suddenly came to find him. Years ago, Wang Ze had left home in anger because his father, coveting wealth and status, had wronged his mother.

Now, upon suddenly hearing the news of his mother's illness, he hastily returned home. As night fell, Wang Ze once again climbed over the wall of the Regent's mansion to bring food to Qing Yue. Seeing her eat happily and contentedly, he revealed his first smile of the day.

He told Qing Yue about his family matters, expressing that he didn't understand why his mother stubbornly remained by his father's side, unwilling to leave, when his father had clearly wronged her. Qing Yue comfortingly patted Wang Ze's head. Wang Ze suddenly kissed her. Qing Yue reacted, scolding him as a scoundrel. Actually, Wang Ze just wanted to leave a memento. Before Wang Ze left, Shen Yu stopped him.

He deliberately provoked Shen Yu with words to make him confess his feelings for Qing Yue. Knowing that Shen Yu had Qing Yue in his heart, he could then rest assured in entrusting Qing Yue to him. The next day, Huo Xuan was summoned into the palace by Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong saw Huo Xuan's determination to resign. He subtly bestowed a cup of wine upon Huo Xuan, only speaking again after watching her drink it.

The Huo family army's unwavering loyalty to Huo Xuan made Tuoba Hong deeply wary; he could not simply let Huo Xuan leave like this. Huo Xuan understood Tuoba Hong's implied meaning. At the same time, a group of officials entered from outside the hall – precisely those officials Huo Xuan had offended previously over wartime matters. Leading them was Wang Ze's father. They accused Huo Xuan of embezzling military funds. Wang Ze came out to testify.

He looked at Huo Xuan, then at his mother, who had been abducted and hidden in a corner to threaten him. Suppressing his conscience, he implicated Huo Xuan in embezzling military funds. Tuoba Hong and the officials all accused Huo Xuan, demanding she reveal the whereabouts of the military funds. Huo Xuan looked at Wang Ze with extreme disappointment; she never imagined that he would be the one to betray her.

Meanwhile, Rong Zhi was planning to leave the city for inspection as per Tuoba Hong's previous instructions. Before he left, Shen Yu produced a letter. It was unclear who had written it, but it mentioned that Rong Zhi should enter the palace today. The attendant by his side reminded Rong Zhi not to defy the imperial decree.

Shen Yu recalled Wang Ze's hesitant words from last night and felt that something would happen today; it was not appropriate for Rong Zhi to leave at this moment. In the palace, Hong Xiu was asking Gu Huan for a treatment method for Tuoba Hong's headache when suddenly a maid reported that something had happened.

At this point, on Tuoba Hong's side, several ministers, believing they had a hold over Huo Xuan, successively requested Tuoba Hong to issue an edict to execute her. Huo Xuan looked at their ugly faces and laughed repeatedly. Today, she finally understood: this was a banquet with ill intentions, and Tuoba Hong's magnanimity was so small that he was not worthy of her loyalty. Huo Xuan insisted on leaving.

Wang Ze subtly helped her block his father and his group of civil officials. When the guards outside the hall came in to stop her, Huo Xuan directly took action; no one could stop her if she wanted to leave. She disarmed a guard's sword and plunged it directly into the table in front of Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong was furious and ordered Huo Xuan to be killed.

Huo Xuan was skilled, but Tuoba Hong had already made up his mind to kill her today; the wine given to her earlier had been poisoned. Huo Xuan was surrounded by the Dragon Forest Army outside the hall, and as the poison took effect, she was about to be in danger when Wang Ze suddenly lunged forward, blocking a fatal blow for her. Watching her former comrade die for her, Huo Xuan was greatly shocked.

Before dying, Wang Ze used his last breath to tell Huo Xuan he was sorry. In her grief and indignation, Huo Xuan temporarily overcame the effects of the poison, picked up a sword, and began fighting with the Dragon Forest Army. She was covered in blood, killing one after another. She wanted to know why. The late emperor had once said he would never forget the military achievements of the Huo family army.

She had fought on the battlefield for Da Wei for eleven years like a man, yet she ended up like this. She had never wronged anyone, but Rong Zhi didn't want her, court officials framed her, and now Tuoba Hong wanted to kill her. The entire Da Wei had betrayed her. Huo Xuan was in utter despair. Gu Huan suddenly ran out and stood in front of her, speaking out against the injustice she faced.

For Huo Xuan, Gu Huan had already disregarded his own life. Rong Zhi ultimately did not leave the city but entered the palace instead. He arrived just as Tuoba Hong was about to order arrows to be shot at Huo Xuan and Gu Huan. Rong Zhi pleaded with Tuoba Hong to spare Huo Xuan.

When an official accused Huo Xuan of embezzling military funds, Rong Zhi told them that it was not Huo Xuan who took the military funds, but he. At that time, for the sake of the people and soldiers of Liuzhou, he had no choice but to use the military funds. He believed he had done nothing wrong. If Tuoba Hong wanted to kill Huo Xuan for this, then the one who deserved to die should actually be him, Rong Zhi. Tuoba Hong had not expected Rong Zhi to defy him for Huo Xuan, and in his anger, he was seized by a splitting headache.

Episode 50 Recap

Tuoba Hong temporarily fell unconscious due to a headache. Rong Zhi seized the opportunity to order the Longlin Army to release Huo Xuan. Rong Zhi told Huo Xuan to leave and never return. Rong Zhi had wronged Huo Xuan, but now he had saved her life. Huo Xuan broke a sword, severing all ties with Rong Zhi, and they would no longer have any dealings with each other.

Tuoba Hong fainted from a sudden fit of anger but quickly woke up. Rong Zhi came in to apologize, and Tuoba Hong threw a teacup at him. Rong Zhi told Tuoba Hong that it was not appropriate to kill Huo Xuan now. Huo Xuan had rendered great service, and killing her would only disheartened the Huo Family Army. Tuoba Hong had originally intended for Rong Zhi to marry Huo Xuan to dismantle the power of the Huo Family Army.

Rong Zhi refused, so Tuoba Hong wanted to kill Huo Xuan to eliminate future troubles. Now that Rong Zhi had saved Huo Xuan, Tuoba Hong was certain that Rong Zhi would regret it someday. Even if Huo Xuan did not wish to be an enemy of Rong Zhi, someone would still use her against Great Wei. Outside the hall, Wang Shangshu, Wang Ze's father, was punching and kicking Wang Ze's corpse because Wang Ze had not followed his instructions.

Shen Yu couldn't stand it anymore and kicked Wang Shangshu to the ground. After Wang Shangshu left, Rong Zhi came out from the hall. He believed that Wang Ze had not betrayed Huo Xuan, and the letter must have been written by Wang Ze himself; he had long decided to die for Huo Xuan. Rong Zhi understood Tuoba Hong; once he set his mind on something, he would not give up easily.

He asked Shen Yu to personally escort Huo Xuan out of the city. Tuoba Hong issued a wanted poster for Huo Xuan. Huo Xuan and Gu Huan were walking on the street when they heard uninformed commoners accusing Huo Xuan. Gu Huan defended her. Huo Xuan was open-minded and didn't take it to heart. Peng Ge arrived with his men but was stopped by Shen Yu. Meanwhile, in the Regent's Residence, two servants were discussing Huo Xuan.

Liu Chuyu overheard them by chance and believed that Huo Xuan was not that kind of person. Liu Chuyu learned the details of what happened in the palace today from Lan Ruo. Qing Yue was waiting in the courtyard. Wang Ze used to bring her food at this time, but today, no matter how long she waited, he didn't come. Liu Chuyu bought food for Qing Yue and told her that Wang Ze had left with Huo Xuan.

She didn't tell her the truth because she didn't want Qing Yue to be sad. That night, Liu Chuyu woke up from a nightmare. She dreamed of the Song-Wei war and urgently wanted to know the inside story of the original political marriage. Meanwhile, in the wilderness, Huo Xuan was severely injured and extremely weak. In just one day, they had encountered three groups of assassins. Huo Xuan didn't want to burden Gu Huan and sent him away.

Gu Huan was very persistent; no matter what Huo Xuan said, he would not abandon her. To make her eat, Gu Huan racked his brains. As night fell and it grew cold, he took off his own clothes to warm Huo Xuan's feet. At this moment, in the Regent's Residence, Rong Zhi looked at the broken sword, a symbol of Huo Xuan severing ties with him, and felt deeply distressed.

Huo Xuan's current plight was what he least wanted to see. Previously, the beauty Tuoba Hong bestowed upon Rong Zhi was named Yue Ya. She was thrown out by Rong Zhi and, very indignant, went to Hong Xiu to complain. Hong Xiu told her to be patient, saying that Rong Zhi would eventually like her. Yue Ya believed Hong Xiu's words implicitly and thanked her profusely.

Hong Xiu smiled happily, saying it had been a long time since she had seen someone as simple as Yue Ya. Yue Ya returned to the residence and began to show concern for Rong Zhi, even gossiping about Liu Chuyu, saying she was ungrateful and had failed to live up to Rong Zhi's kindness. Rong Zhi asked Yue Ya why she was good to him. Yue Ya was momentarily speechless by this sudden question.

Rong Zhi scoffed at people like her who valued his power. No one is good to someone without reason, and Huo Xuan was the same; she left him without hesitation when Rong Zhi could not give her a corresponding return. Rong Zhi agitatedly grabbed Yue Ya's neck, forcing her to reveal whose person she was—Hong Xiu's or Tuoba Hong's. Fortunately, Shen Yu entered in time and saved Yue Ya. Rong Zhi had lost control of his emotions today.

Gu Huan took Huo Xuan on a long journey to a mountain area, where villagers had built a house for him to thank him for his medical treatment. The mountain air was fresh, and birds sang among the flowers. Watching Gu Huan clumsily make a fire and cook, Huo Xuan couldn't stand it anymore and began to help him. She accidentally injured her hand, and Gu Huan was heartbroken.

He said it was just cooking, he could learn it; he was willing to do anything for Huo Xuan. Huo Xuan was deeply moved; no one had ever cooked for her before. Gu Huan promised to stay with her for life. Huo Xuan was happy but did not lose her judgment, knowing that no one stays with anyone for life.

When the moon was high in the sky, Huo Xuan suddenly woke up to find Gu Huan gone, only to return at daybreak. During the day, Gu Huan applied medicine for Huo Xuan, carefully reminding her to eat on time before going out to treat others. That night, Gu Huan went out again in the middle of the night. Huo Xuan quietly followed him.

She saw Gu Huan carrying a medicine basket, strenuously climbing a high cliff to gather herbs, and almost falling down. The next day, she followed Gu Huan out again and saw him selling medicine and treating people in the village town to earn money. At night, the temperature on the mountain dropped, so Gu Huan draped a piece of clothing over Huo Xuan who was resting in the courtyard.

Huo Xuan's clothes had torn cuffs; this was a new outfit Gu Huan had specially bought for her. Huo Xuan herself had been somewhat self-deprecating, not expecting Gu Huan to work so hard to earn money to buy her clothes and treat her so well. All these things Gu Huan did willingly; he had fallen in love with Huo Xuan the first time he saw her, and no matter what, he would never leave her.

Huo Xuan was touched by Gu Huan and accepted his confession. She was not skilled in needlework and was not gentle, but in Gu Huan's heart, she was the best woman in the world. Huo Xuan had no reason not to accept him. On the other side, after Tuoba Yun escaped, he contacted the Tianji Pavilion.

The Tianji Pavilion Master was willing to help him achieve great things, but Tuoba Yun dared not believe it because Huo Xuan had previously said that the Tianji Pavilion Master had died by her hand. The person from Tianji Pavilion who met with Tuoba Yun told him that the one who died was merely a substitute. " What kind of person is the Tianji Pavilion Master? How could he easily die at Huo Xuan's hands?"

Episode 51 Recap

Tianji Pavilion, in alliance with Tuoba Yun, decided to divide and conquer the Great Wei court. Meanwhile, Tuoba Hong thought Tuoba Yun had died in the fire and planned to give him a grand burial, but the ministers submitted petitions in opposition, which greatly troubled Tuoba Hong. Just then, Hong Xiu came to bring him supplements and learned of Tuoba Hong's worries.

Hong Xiu said he was the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven could naturally do as he pleased. Hearing this, Tuoba Hong seemed to suddenly understand. Yes, he was the Son of Heaven, and he could do whatever he wanted. In the Regent's Estate, Liu Chuyu was torn between trusting Tian Rujing and trusting Rong Zhi.

On one hand, she didn't want to believe Tian Rujing's words, but on the other hand, she didn't dare to fully trust Rong Zhi. She didn't even dare to see Rong Zhi now. Liu Chuyu recalled every little detail after she married Rong Zhi, and her head throbbed. She swept the poison bottle on the table to the ground, but the bottle was unusually sturdy and remained undamaged even after falling.

In court, Tuoba Hong proposed a grand burial for Tuoba Yun. Rong Zhi and some other ministers spoke out against it, making little headway. After court, Rong Zhi still wanted to remonstrate, but Eunuch Pan, who was by Tuoba Hong's side, stopped him and told him that Tuoba Hong now only trusted Hong Xiu's words, and he should no longer mention the matter of Prince Kang. Just then, Hong Xiu came over.

During their conversation, Rong Zhi realized that Hong Xiu was indeed different from before; he had truly underestimated her. That night, Eunuch Pan was found drowned in the lake. Hong Xiu received the news and smiled faintly, thinking that this garrulous Eunuch Pan, who had ruined her plans, was sure to die. Eunuch Pan was Tuoba Hong's trusted confidant. After his death, Tuoba Hong thoroughly investigated the entire palace.

A secret letter was found in Eunuch Pan's room, indicating that Eunuch Pan was a person Rong Zhi had planted by his side. Tuoba Hong was furious. Hong Xiu then came in and advised Tuoba Hong to de-escalate the matter. Eunuch Pan's death was very disadvantageous to Rong Zhi, but Rong Zhi was currently concerned about Liu Chuyu's state and had no interest in state affairs.

In the evening, Rong Zhi hosted a banquet in the front hall, inviting Liu Chuyu to dine with him. However, Liu Chuyu privately called Yueya over, which made Rong Zhi furious. He wanted to reconcile, and he didn't know why Liu Chuyu did this. Liu Chuyu's face was no better than Rong Zhi's. She asked Rong Zhi if he had ever regretted deceiving others in his life.

Rong Zhi didn't know why she asked, but he answered no. Liu Chuyu was completely disappointed in him. After the banquet, Yueya couldn't help but question Liu Chuyu why she treated Rong Zhi that way, when he was so good to her. Liu Chuyu sneered. She now had no idea what conspiracy was hidden behind her marriage, and she didn't want to know. This place made her heart grow cold; she wanted to leave here, to leave Rong Zhi.

The next day, in court, Tuoba Hong insisted on burying Tuoba Yun with the rites of a prince of the blood, and even forced all officials to wear mourning clothes for Tuoba Yun. Tuoba Yun was a rebellious minister and traitor, and Tuoba Hong's actions were completely against the rites. Rong Zhi knew that Tuoba Hong did this merely for his own peace of mind, but Rong Zhi firmly refused to cooperate.

This action thoroughly angered Tuoba Hong, who ordered Rong Zhi to be imprisoned in the Regent's Estate, forbidden to leave without an imperial decree. Tuoba Hong's headaches grew increasingly severe. Hong Xiu specifically invited many folk doctors for this, learning methods to alleviate them. Hong Xiu steeped medicinal herbs in hot water, and after warming her hands, massaged Tuoba Hong's head, which indeed relieved his headache. Tuoba Hong was deeply moved by Hong Xiu's thoughtfulness.

Tuoba Hong had known for a long time that Peng Ge would not be able to get Huo Xuan's head. After Peng Ge returned, he ordered Peng Ge to immediately take an imperial decree to the Huo Family Army and take command, also stating that Huo Xuan had committed rebellion, but Tuoba Hong had magnanimously spared her life, intending to win the favor of the Huo Family Army. Tuoba Hong lost his temper over the officials interceding for Rong Zhi.

Hong Xiu tactfully advised him not to fall out with his uncle-nephew, Rong Zhi, over Tuoba Yun. Tuoba Hong grew even angrier upon hearing this. In Tuoba Hong's view, Rong Zhi was now arrogant due to favor. Hong Xiu seized the opportunity to instigate, saying that this was raising a tiger to invite calamity, and he would eventually be harmed by the tiger. The news of Rong Zhi falling out of favor reached Tuoba Yun's ears.

Tuoba Yun finally let out a sigh of relief, thinking that Rong Zhi had finally met his match. Rong Zhi thought of Liu Chuyu's resolute words; she said that he trampled on other people's hearts at will to achieve his goals. Such accusations and misunderstandings greatly angered Rong Zhi. Yueya came over to curry favor, proactively revealing that she was Hong Xiu's person, intending to show goodwill to Rong Zhi.

However, Rong Zhi didn't need it; he only wanted a sincere heart, which Yueya couldn't give. Yueya felt indignant after being rebuffed by Rong Zhi. She knew that Rong Zhi had feelings for Liu Chuyu, and as long as Liu Chuyu didn't leave, she would never have a chance for Rong Zhi to accept her. Previously, Liu Chuyu had wanted Yueya to help her leave, but Yueya was timid and afraid of trouble then. Now, she agreed.

The next morning, Yueya went into the palace with Hong Xiu's token. After Yueya returned to the estate, she was stopped by Shen Yu. Shen Yu had seen Yueya leave the estate that morning, and her being out for a whole day was very suspicious. Shen Yu asked Yueya to hand over the packet of medicine hidden in her bosom. Yueya said it was medicine for women's menstruation.

Although Shen Yu didn't believe her, he couldn't force her due to Yueya's status. On the other side, Tuoba Hong had not attended court for three days. He was resting in Hong Xiu's hall, and the officials outside were all demanding an audience, but they were sent back by Hong Xiu. The Great Wei court was now in a precarious state, but Rong Zhi had no mind for it; Liu Chuyu wanted to see him, and he was very happy.

Shen Yu was very anxious about Rong Zhi's current state. In the quiet and serene mountains, Huo Xuan saw the exquisite dishes in the courtyard, returned to the house, and saw the shadow play meticulously prepared by Gu Huan. The surprise was far from over; after lifting the curtain, Huo Xuan saw the pearl hairpin she had once left at Gu Huan's medical clinic. She hadn't expected him to have kept it all this time.

Gu Huan proposed to Huo Xuan using the shadow play. Huo Xuan saw all of Gu Huan's intentions in her eyes, and she actively leaned in to give him a kiss. That night, Gu Huan and Huo Xuan got married in a small mountain cabin, dressed in big red wedding attire, and promised to be together in their next lives.

Afterward, a general from the Huo Family Army found Huo Xuan, wanting to persuade her to return to the army, but Huo Xuan's mind was made up, and she coldly sent the general away.

Episode 52 Recap

Liu Chuyu told Rong Zhi that she had figured it out; Rong Zhi's world was too complex, and she felt she couldn't fit in. Liu Chuyu had recently been saying things that made no sense to Rong Zhi, and he wanted her to speak frankly. Liu Chuyu used to detest people who beat around the bush, but now she knew that some things were left unsaid not because they were unclear, but because she didn't know how to say them.

She feigned a relaxed smile and asked Rong Zhi to play "Feng Qiu Huang" for her. Rong Zhi was delighted that Liu Chuyu was willing to reconcile, and he played the piece wholeheartedly. Liu Chuyu listened silently, reminiscing about the few warm moments they shared. A string suddenly broke, unsettling Rong Zhi. He felt Liu Chuyu's smile was unhappy. Liu Chuyu offered a cup of wine. Rong Zhi looked into her eyes and poured all the wine away.

Shen Yu told him that Liu Chuyu and Yue Ya were up to something, warning him to be careful. However, it was impossible to guard against everything; Liu Chuyu didn't drug the wine, but tampered with the qin strings. After Rong Zhi fainted, Liu Chuyu hung a medicine bottle on his waist and left in a hurry with Qing Yue.

The next day, after Rong Zhi woke up, he flew into a rage, imprisoned Yue Ya in the dungeon, and rushed out of the manor, disregarding the imperial decree. Shen Yu and others tried to stop him, but Rong Zhi pushed him aside and rode away. Tuoba Hong received news that Rong Zhi was pursuing Liu Chuyu towards the Great Song, and he was furious, ordering people to bring Rong Zhi back, even repeatedly vowing to kill him.

Empress Dowager Feng Ting stood in her palace; the wind had picked up. She worried about Tuoba Hong's health and hoped he would take good care of himself. However, Tuoba Hong was already gravely ill. Hong Xiu attended to him as he slept, intercepted a batch of memorials, and burned several important ones. Hong Xiu's maid, Yanzhi, witnessed her burning the memorials.

Yanzhi wanted to tell Tuoba Hong, but just as she found an opportunity, Hong Xiu entered before she could speak, and Yanzhi had to retreat in a hurry. Yanzhi was Rong Zhi's person, and Hong Xiu had known this for a long time. That night, she threw Yanzhi into a well to drown her. The next day was Tuoba Yun's funeral. Tuoba Hong personally attended. However, in the memorial hall, the person who was supposed to be dead suddenly appeared.

Tuoba Hong was greatly astonished to see Tuoba Yun. Tuoba Yun had been plotting for a long time, and everyone there was his person. Tuoba Yun dealt with all the people Tuoba Hong had brought. Tuoba Hong saw the people from Tianji Pavilion and cursed Tuoba Yun for being deranged in his pursuit of the throne. Tuoba Yun sneered, saying that when it came to being deranged, no one could compare to the former emperor.

The death of Madam Yue that year was not simple; the former emperor stood by and watched the Empress Dowager kill Madam Yue, then allowed Tuoba Hong to ascend the throne. Afterwards, when Tuoba Hong learned of the Empress Dowager's actions, he would inevitably retaliate. Without the Empress Dowager's restraints, Tuoba Hong would surely become a qualified emperor. Hong Xiu was originally a member of Tianji Pavilion.

When Rong Zhi sought her out, she went along with it, seizing the opportunity to use Rong Zhi and the Empress Dowager, slowly turning Tuoba Hong into a lone figure. Now that Rong Zhi had gone after Liu Chuyu, and with the Great Song army pressing on the border, Rong Zhi likely wouldn't be able to return. Hong Xiu was pregnant. As long as Tuoba Hong died, her child would be a posthumous child.

Then, Tuoba Yun would enthrone Hong Xiu's child as emperor, and Hong Xiu would take the opportunity to pardon Tuoba Yun's crimes, allowing him to serve as regent. This entire plan was perfect, as long as Tuoba Yun was ruthless enough to kill Tuoba Hong. Meanwhile, Huo Xuan was living a peaceful life in the mountains with Gu Huan, but recently she had become increasingly restless, accidentally pricking her hand while doing needlework.

Even though Huo Xuan didn't say it, Gu Huan knew she was worried about the Huo family army. Since that was the case, Gu Huan decided to go back with her to see. Peng Ge was ordered to take command of the Huo family army, but the Huo family army only recognized the Huo family head and was slow to accept Tuoba Hong's decree. As the atmosphere grew tense, Huo Xuan arrived.

The Huo family army was the army of Great Wei, and Huo Xuan couldn't let this army be ruined under her watch. She had returned precisely to ensure a smooth handover of the Huo family army. With her doing so, Peng Ge did not make things difficult for her.

Not everyone had the courage to give up everything they held, but Huo Xuan had now come to terms with it; she used to want to be the commander of a vast army, but now she only wanted to be Gu Huan's wife. When Huo Xuan went to hand over command to Peng Ge, an unexpected incident occurred: Huo Xuan was stabbed with a sword, and Peng Ge, mentally deranged, shouted that he wanted to kill Huo Xuan.

Huo Xuan was extremely weak. Gu Huan held her and shouted to the Huo family army deputy general who rushed in that Peng Ge was the murderer. Deputy General Huo Chao, Huo Xuan's third uncle, killed Peng Ge in a moment of desperation. Huo Xuan watched all this in pain, weakly shook her head, and fainted, a pool of blood flowing beneath her—she had a miscarriage.

It turned out that Gu Huan was a member of Tianji Pavilion, and he had approached Huo Xuan from the very beginning for the sake of the Huo family army. Although he had genuinely fallen for Huo Xuan, he had to complete his mission. That night, Gu Huan, under the pretext of avenging Huo Xuan, incited the Huo family army to rebellion. After Huo Xuan woke up, she immediately asked about Gu Huan's whereabouts, and when she saw the letter delivered by the spy, she was greatly shocked.

Episode 53 Recap

Liu Chuyu led Qing Yue on their journey and arrived at Pengcheng. Watching Qing Yue leisurely eat, Liu Chuyu was curious which one Qing Yue liked more, Shen Yu or Wang Ze. Qing Yue said she wanted to consider more options, and Liu Chuyu smiled happily. Seeing that the city gates were about to close, Liu Chuyu and Qing Yue were eager to leave the city when Rong Zhi suddenly appeared before them.

The Great Song army had already reached the city walls. Rong Zhi pulled Liu Chuyu up to the city tower, making her see the situation clearly. When Great Song and Great Wei were allied through marriage, Great Wei indeed had suspicions of using Liu Chuyu, but wasn't Great Song doing the same? On one hand, they pretended to form a marriage alliance, while on the other, they secretly expanded their army, conspiring to annex Great Wei.

The Great Song army was led by Xiao Daocheng. At first, he righteously claimed that their deployment was for Liu Chuyu. However, when Liu Chuyu asked about the conspiracy behind the marriage alliance, Xiao Daocheng immediately dropped his pretense.

Seeing Xiao Daocheng's actions, Liu Chuyu suddenly remembered that at the beginning of the marriage alliance, her imperial uncle Liu Yu had deceived her, saying the alliance was for peace and to protect the Great Song people from the ravages of war, and she had actually believed him. She had no time for further thought now; the Huo Family Army had arrived. Huo Chao led the Huo Family Army to rendezvous with Xiao Daocheng.

Huo Chao did this merely to avenge Huo Xuan. The Huo Family Army was Huo Xuan's life's work, and Rong Zhi would not touch it. Xiao Daocheng suddenly launched an attack. Rong Zhi protected Liu Chuyu as they dodged. Huo Xuan arrived at this moment. She first calmed the Huo Family Army, then turned to question who Gu Huan really was. The secret letter Huo Xuan had received earlier was written by Rong Zhi to her.

It stated that Gu Huan was the Master of Tianji Pavilion, and urged her to come to Pengcheng quickly. Gu Huan's true identity was exposed. Huo Chao wanted to kill him, but he raised his sword and pointed it at Huo Xuan. Gu Huan had originally orchestrated Liu Chuyu's marriage alliance, allowing Xiao Daocheng to gradually rise. He said he did it to choose a worthy ruler for the world.

But Huo Xuan told him to open his eyes and see clearly: if war broke out, it would inevitably lead to widespread suffering and death. Was this what he wanted? Huo Xuan wanted to know if Gu Huan was using her. Gu Huan looked at her in anguish; he had calculated everything, but had only miscalculated his feelings for Huo Xuan. Huo Xuan suddenly struck, severing the sword in Gu Huan's hand and plunging the broken blade into his chest.

Huo Xuan had dedicated her life to Great Wei; she would not allow anyone to harm Great Wei. Gu Huan did not blame Huo Xuan; he simply couldn't bear to leave her. Huo Xuan moved closer to him and plunged the other half of the sword into her own body. She also loved Gu Huan and was willing to die with him.

On the city tower, Liu Chuyu was originally blaming Rong Zhi for not genuinely coming for her, but only pursuing her because of the war. Seeing Huo Xuan's situation, Liu Chuyu gave a bitter smile. She thought she was the most miserable, but she never expected Huo Xuan was the same. She painfully ran down the city tower, and Rong Zhi chased after her.

Rong Zhi chased after Liu Chuyu, wanting to explain, but Xiao Daocheng's army was about to attack. Rong Zhi entrusted Liu Chuyu to Shen Yu, and he himself led the reinforcements out of the city to fight the enemy. Inside the city, Tian Rujing suddenly appeared. He wanted to take Liu Chuyu away. Qing Yue knew Liu Chuyu wanted to leave, so she joined Tian Rujing to obstruct Shen Yu.

After a struggle, Tian Rujing was injured and desperately fled with Liu Chuyu. Shen Yu arrested Qing Yue, specifically reminding his subordinates not to harm her. Tian Rujing hurried along with Liu Chuyu, finally unable to bear it and collapsing on the ground. He told Liu Chuyu to leave Rong Zhi and return to Great Song. Tian Rujing had now come to understand that regardless of any destiny like Tanlang Qisha, it was all ultimately due to human intentions.

He wanted Liu Chuyu to stay away from these conspiracies. Rong Zhi repelled Xiao Daocheng. Looking at Huo Xuan's body lying on the ground, he felt extremely sad. Huo Chao blamed everything on Gu Huan. Rong Zhi's face was ashen. Huo Xuan did not die for Gu Huan; she had already let go of that relationship the moment Gu Huan betrayed her. She did this to use Rong Zhi's guilt towards her to plead for the Huo Family Army.

The Huo Family Army's rebellion was only because they were misled, and Huo Xuan wanted to protect them with her own death. Rong Zhi knew her intentions, so how could he not fulfill her wish? Rong Zhi led his army like a hot knife through butter, capturing ten cities from Great Song in a row. Liu Yu was furious.

Xiao Daocheng told Liu Yu that it was not yet the end of their rope; to turn the tide, Liu Chuyu was a key figure. Xiao Daocheng brought Liu Chuyu back from Pengcheng. Liu Yu again tried to deceive Liu Chuyu with his righteous talk about protecting the country and its people, but Liu Chuyu did not fall for it. Liu Yu was not negotiating with her; he was merely being polite before resorting to force.

Regardless of whether Liu Chuyu agreed or not, he would use her. Xiao Daocheng's idea was to use Liu Chuyu to lure Rong Zhi into peace talks, and then capture Rong Zhi in one fell swoop during the talks. As long as Rong Zhi died, Great Wei would no longer be a threat. On the other side, Xiao Daocheng also arranged for people to spread rumors, saying that Rong Zhi was ambitious and would eventually replace Tuoba Hong.

Rong Zhi knew the peace talks were a trap. Xiao Daocheng coerced Liu Chuyu to make him go alone. Rong Zhi went without hesitation. He went alone, and as soon as he appeared, he was surrounded by Xiao Daocheng's men. Rong Zhi engaged in a standoff with Xiao Daocheng, drawing all of Xiao Daocheng's attention. In reality, this Rong Zhi was just a decoy; the real Rong Zhi used this opportunity to rescue Liu Chuyu.

Xiao Daocheng heard the sound behind him, knew he had been tricked, and ordered his men to shoot arrows. Rong Zhi galloped away with Liu Chuyu, accidentally getting hit by a stray arrow. Liu Chuyu was still blaming Rong Zhi and didn't want to leave with him. She struggled on horseback and both she and Rong Zhi fell down a small slope.

Rong Zhi acted decisively, pulled out the arrowhead from his back, and threw it in another direction, making Xiao Daocheng think he had fled in that direction. He then hid himself and Liu Chuyu in the nearby tall grass, waiting for Xiao Daocheng to leave. On the other side, at the Kangwangfu, sudden changes occurred. A group of soldiers suddenly appeared and eliminated all of Tuoba Yun's men.

It turned out that Rong Zhi had anticipated today's situation long ago and had planted people within Tuoba Hong's Dragon Forest Army, saving his life at a critical moment. The situation instantly reversed. Hong Xiu, unwilling to accept defeat, tried to assassinate Tuoba Hong amidst the chaos, but Tuoba Yun stopped her abruptly, losing the opportune moment. Tuoba Yun would never let Tuoba Hong die at a woman's hands. Tuoba Hong dueled with him alone.

Tuoba Yun was ultimately not ruthless enough and was killed by Tuoba Hong's sword. Before his death, he had no regrets, for the path of an emperor was filled with blood, and his death was a form of liberation. Recently, rumors spread throughout Pingcheng, saying that Rong Zhi was brave and skilled in battle, very formidable, and his prominence even overshadowed Emperor Tuoba Hong. This was something Tuoba Hong absolutely could not tolerate.

He went to find the Empress Dowager and happened to hear her praying for him. Tuoba Hong was moved. He wanted the Empress Dowager to persuade Rong Zhi to withdraw his troops, and he no longer intended to let Rong Zhi live.

Episode 54 (Ending) Recap

Liu Chuyu sent Rong Zhi back to the Northern Wei army. Looking at the injured and unconscious Rong Zhi, she couldn't help but caress his pale face. After Rong Zhi woke up, Liu Chuyu was still angry. She no longer dared to trust Rong Zhi. Shen Yu came in and told Rong Zhi that Tuoba Hong had ordered him to retreat. The situation was just right, and Shen Yu felt that retreating would be too much of a pity.

Rong Zhi had already saved Liu Chuyu, and he decided to retreat. He understood Tuoba Hong's concerns. Forced by Rong Zhi to get into the carriage, Liu Chuyu was unhappy. It wasn't until Qing Yue came in with a happy face, and Liu Chuyu heard her say that Shen Yu, for the sake of the princess being the regent's beloved, dared not touch her, that Liu Chuyu's expression improved. On the other carriage, Rong Zhi's lips curved slightly upwards.

Halfway there, a eunuch suddenly appeared, saying that Tuoba Hong had set up a banquet in the northern suburbs to celebrate the regent's achievements. Rong Zhi took Liu Chuyu to the banquet. Tuoba Hong and the Empress Dowager stood together in the hall to welcome them. Tuoba Hong toasted the meritorious official Rong Zhi, but Rong Zhi, feigning discomfort, did not drink the wine.

As songs and dances filled the air, Tuoba Hong suddenly spat out blood, accusing Rong Zhi of poisoning him. Rong Zhi knew this was a "Hongmen Banquet" (a treacherous feast); it turned out Tuoba Hong had been waiting for him here. Tuoba Hong's men suddenly made a move, abducting Liu Chuyu. The Empress Dowager forced Rong Zhi to take a heart-eating poison pill. Rong Zhi, to save Liu Chuyu, had no choice but to surrender.

He laughed, saying the Empress Dowager was indeed the most vicious woman in the world, so cruel even to her own brother. Tuoba Hong thought he had won, but Rong Zhi said he was "plotting with a tiger for its hide" (dealing with a dangerous person). He told Tuoba Hong to ask what the Empress Dowager's biological son was called. Tuoba Hong now only wanted to kill Rong Zhi.

He ordered his men to act, but Shen Yu suddenly burst in with his people. It turned out Rong Zhi had been prepared all along. Rong Zhi had already given up his military power. Even if the situation reversed, he would not regret it. He had many loyal warriors who would assassinate the Northern Wei imperial family relentlessly if he died today. The Empress Dowager knew this was no joke.

She convinced Tuoba Hong to let Rong Zhi and Liu Chuyu go, and also promised Rong Zhi that she would not trouble the people he left behind. Shen Yu remained in Pingcheng, and Liu Chuyu entrusted Qing Yue to his care before leaving. Rong Zhi took Liu Chuyu far away, stopping only after they had traveled a long distance.

He knew Liu Chuyu was still angry, so he deliberately lied, telling her that the medicine he took would only make him lose his martial arts, and he could rise again whenever he wanted. He urged Liu Chuyu to leave, and Liu Chuyu turned and left without any hesitation. Rong Zhi watched her retreating figure and suddenly spat out blood. Liu Chuyu heard the sound, turned back, saw Rong Zhi's state, and rushed over to check on him.

Rong Zhi told Liu Chuyu that someone once wanted him to use her blood to defy fate and reach the pinnacle of his life, but he didn't believe it. He returned the sachet Liu Chuyu had given him, saying that he had always believed fate was in his own hands, and he wanted Liu Chuyu to believe that too and live well. Rong Zhi was in a very bad condition.

Liu Chuyu cried, telling him not to give up, that there would surely be a way. Rong Zhi shook his head, saying that no matter how clever he was, he could not defy fate. In the past, he desired the empire, but ever since Liu Chuyu came to his side, he gradually stopped wanting it. Now that he was about to die, he asked Liu Chuyu not to remember him.

Rong Zhi cried out in agony, clutching his head, blood continuously flowing from his mouth. Seeing Rong Zhi collapsed on the ground, Liu Chuyu cried in pain. Rong Zhi's body was brought back. Tuoba Hong ordered him to be cut into a thousand pieces, but the Empress Dowager stopped him in time, saying Rong Zhi had served with great merit and she wanted to give him a grand burial.

Tuoba Hong had previously planned with the Empress Dowager to drink poisoned wine himself, just to pin the crime of poisoning the emperor on Rong Zhi. Although he had taken an antidote beforehand, Tuoba Hong's face remained grim. At this moment, Hong Xiu successfully gave birth to a baby boy. The Empress Dowager said she would name him Tuoba Hong.

Tuoba Hong didn't think much of it at the time, not realizing something was wrong until the Empress Dowager ordered Hong Xiu to be executed immediately. According to the ancestral system of Northern Wei, when an imperial prince was enfeoffed as Crown Prince, his birth mother had to be executed immediately. However, the child was still so young, there was no need to immediately enfeoff him as Crown Prince.

The Empress Dowager, with a smile, told him that this child was not to be made Crown Prince, but to be made emperor. The Empress Dowager told Tuoba Hong that her own biological son was named Tuoba Hong. Tuoba Hong suddenly remembered Rong Zhi's earlier words, that he was "plotting with a tiger for its hide." Now he suddenly understood everything.

Back then, the Empress Dowager's biological son was perfectly healthy, but as soon as the news spread that he was to be made Crown Prince, he suddenly died mysteriously. Thinking back now, it was all done by the Empress Dowager. To save her own life, she personally killed her son and supported Tuoba Hong's ascension. Now that Tuoba Hong was disobedient, she was going to support a newborn child to take power.

It was too late for Tuoba Hong to understand everything; the Empress Dowager had already bribed everyone around him, completely isolating him. Dressed in common clothes and wearing a veil, Liu Chuyu returned to her princess's manor in Southern Song on a moonlit night. She looked at her former residence, now changed beyond recognition. The sound of a zither suddenly came from the courtyard. Liu Chuyu followed the sound and surprisingly saw Rong Zhi sitting there playing the zither.

She cautiously called out Rong Zhi's name, fearing it was just a hallucination. Rong Zhi heard Liu Chuyu's voice, stood up, and then fell back down. He hadn't been poisoned to death by the heart-eating poison; it was just too potent. Now he couldn't see, and his legs couldn't walk. But Liu Chuyu didn't care; as long as Rong Zhi was alive, she was content.

Earlier, Rong Zhi had made an agreement with the Empress Dowager: he would relinquish his power and help the Empress Dowager expose the forces Tuoba Hong had secretly cultivated. In return, the Empress Dowager would completely restore his freedom. Moreover, with Rong Zhi blind and his legs injured, he would no longer pose a threat to the Empress Dowager. Meanwhile, in the imperial palace in Pingcheng, the Empress Dowager meticulously cared for the newborn Tuoba Hong.

She repeatedly called out "Hong'er," though it was unclear whom she was calling. In the sixth year of Yanxing, Emperor Xianwen Tuoba Hong died mysteriously, and Tuoba Hong ascended the throne. The Empress Dowager presided over the court, honored as Grand Empress Dowager. After her ascension, she implemented the Equal-field System left by Rong Zhi, which received great acclaim. In the Princess's Manor in Jiankang, Liu Chuyu, dressed in light-colored clothes, stood on a bridge fishing.

Looking at the large fish on her hook, Liu Chuyu was overjoyed and shouted Rong Zhi's name, asking him to come and admire her catch. Rong Zhi ran over, carrying a wooden bucket. Liu Chuyu saw that his eyes were now clear and his legs strong, and couldn't help but call him a liar. Rong Zhi had bribed Qin Gu, one of the Empress Dowager's attendants.

The medicine he took only created the illusion of temporary disability, and he would fully recover in less than a year. In terms of strategy, Rong Zhi was in no way inferior to the Empress Dowager. He originally had the opportunity to conquer the world, but for Liu Chuyu, he willingly gave it up. It truly can be said, "If one desires a single heart, what does it matter if it costs the empire?"