Who Rules The World Episode 19 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
Bai Fengxi, upon hearing that Feng Lanxi, also known as Hei Fengxi, was under house arrest, secretly visited his residence late at night. She found him in a somber mood, burdened by the recent events that had turned the royal family's internal struggles into public ridicule. Feng Lanxi expressed deep regret over unwittingly causing the death of Miss Qi Cheng and implicating his elder brother, Feng Chang.
He confessed that despite his reputation for intelligence, he had failed to anticipate every outcome. Bai Fengxi, understanding Feng Lanxi's tendency to conceal his emotions, urged him to speak with Feng Chang directly, express his true feelings, resolve their conflict, and unite against their common enemies. She emphasized that without open communication, misunderstandings would persist. Meanwhile, Feng Chang had regained consciousness but instructed Physician Zheng to falsify his medical report.
He demanded that it state he suffered a severe leg injury, necessitating a crutch for life, along with symptoms of amnesia due to a brain clot. Feng Chang threatened the physician's son to ensure compliance. His intention was to appear incapacitated, thereby removing himself as a pawn for Queen Baili to use against Feng Lanxi. However, Queen Baili underestimated Feng Chang's situation.
She sent a maid to his residence to serve him, instructing her to secretly poison his medicine, aiming to drive him to madness and then frame Feng Lanxi for the act. Fortunately, Feng Lanxi paid a visit to his elder brother. Though Feng Chang feigned unconsciousness, Feng Lanxi poured out his heart, acknowledging Feng Chang's forced actions and affirming that Feng Chang remained his only family after their mother's passing.
As Uncle De prepared to administer Feng Chang's medicine, Feng Lanxi detected a strange odor. Using a silver needle, he confirmed the presence of poison. He learned that the medicine was prepared by a new maid, who was Queen Baili's operative. Understanding Queen Baili's ruthless strategy of sacrificing lesser figures to protect herself, Feng Lanxi’s expression grew serious. He instructed Uncle De not to disclose his visit or the poisoning, assuring him that he would handle the matter.
After Feng Lanxi left, Feng Chang slowly opened his eyes, feeling utterly despondent. Not long after, news of Feng Chang's awakening reached the palace. The Lord of Yongzhou immediately rushed to his residence, but his primary concern was not Feng Chang's well-being but rather who had pushed him from the pavilion. Feng Chang, deeply disappointed by his father's callousness, feigned complete memory loss, which Physician Zheng corroborated, citing a brain clot.
Coincidentally, Official Zhang Zhongge reported finding a damaged fox fur coat with a scent matching Miss Qi Cheng's at Baili Jing's residence. The Lord of Yongzhou, finding the evidence suspicious due to its timing, nevertheless ordered the case closed. He decreed that Feng Chang's fall was an accident and that Baili Jing, now deemed insane, would take the blame for Miss Qi Cheng's death.
This decision also lifted the house arrest for all other princes, serving as a warning to Queen Baili. It was revealed that Miss Huan, Feng Lanxi's maid, had noticed a missing piece from his fox fur coat, prompting a Minister to prepare a replacement, which helped secure Feng Lanxi's innocence. On December 24th of the lunar calendar, the annual House-cleaning Day, Feng Lanxi visited Feng Chang's residence for their traditional chess game.
Despite his inward joy at Feng Lanxi's arrival, Feng Chang harshly rebuked him, claiming their bond was broken beyond repair and demanding he leave. Feng Lanxi understood that Feng Chang was sacrificing himself to protect him, just as he had always done since childhood. While walking through the market, Feng Lanxi paused at a mud figure stall, recalling a mud deer his late mother had given him.
Bai Fengxi encountered him there and, noticing his fondness for the mud figures, decided to craft one in his likeness. Feng Lanxi cherished the mud figure, and memories of their time together brought an imperceptible smile to his face. Meanwhile, Yu Wuyuan's blood curse was intensifying, making him visibly weaker. He concluded that he needed to acquire the Sacred Jade Moon swiftly to fully suppress the curse and prolong his life.
The leader of the Soultaker Sect presented a spirit stone Yu Wuyuan requested and revealed Hei Fengxi's true identity as Prince Yongping, Feng Lanxi. Yu Wuyuan, a descendant of the Empyrean Yu family, had learned from his aunt the secret history of the "Cricket" (Ju Xu). A century ago, this secret army, composed of three families including the Yu family, aimed to overthrow the Dadong Empire.
After the failure of the Chongde Rebellion, all three families were afflicted with the blood curse through the Empyrean Token, explaining why their ancestors rarely lived past the age of thirty. Now fully aware, Yu Wuyuan vowed to fulfill his ancestors' legacy by overthrowing Dadong and seizing the Empyrean Token, which he believed was the only way to break the curse.
To achieve this, Yu Wuyuan ordered the news of his arrival in the capital of Yongzhou to be spread, intending to incite chaos. As the New Year approached, Queen Baili summoned Feng Ju to the palace, advising him on how to earn merit. She suggested he focus on replenishing the Ministry of Revenue to secure the Lord of Yongzhou's military endeavors.
She named three corrupt officials—Fu Wenbo, Luan Qiya, and He Youde—and instructed Feng Ju to fabricate charges of oppressing the common people against them, seize their assets, and deposit the money into the royal treasury. Feng Ju silently agreed, shocked by his mother's detailed knowledge of his associates. Separately, Zhong Li informed Feng Lanxi about Yu Wuyuan's publicized arrival in Yongzhou.
Feng Lanxi suspected Yu Wuyuan orchestrated this, instructing Zhong Li to continue monitoring his movements to ascertain his true motives. The Lord of Yongzhou, having also received news of Yu Wuyuan's arrival, summoned him to the palace and hosted a banquet, hoping to persuade him to stay and aid Yongzhou in unifying the states.
Yu Wuyuan politely declined, stating that his ambitions extended beyond a single state or city and he had no desire to be employed by any royal family. As a commoner, he wished to work for the welfare of all common people, striving for a world of peace and prosperity. Feng Ju, having heard of Yu Wuyuan's reputation, visited him with lavish gifts during the New Year. However, Yu Wuyuan unceremoniously dismissed him.
Undeterred, Feng Ju, aware of the Empyrean Yu family's vast knowledge and how even Crown Prince Huang Chao of Jizhou respected Yu Wuyuan as an "One-line Tutor," resolved to persist. Unbeknownst to Feng Ju, Yu Wuyuan's true intention was to use him as a tool to destabilize Yongzhou and target Feng Lanxi. He planned to play a long game, instructing the Soultaker Sect leader to handle Feng Ju's future visits.
