Who Rules The World Episode 21 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
After absorbing the power of the Sacred Jade Moon to temporarily suppress his blood curse, Yu Wuyuan's subordinate congratulated him. Yu Wuyuan stated that he still needed to control the Empyrean Token to completely remove the curse and that his subordinate was already secretly preparing to rebuild the Locust army. Though his divine skill was now acquired, Yu Wuyuan decided not to leave Yongzhou yet.
He wanted to observe how Feng Lanxi would solve the current predicament, noting that if an opportunity arose, he might as well eliminate Feng Lanxi. Feng Qiwu praised Bai Fengxi, not only for her formidable martial arts skills but also for her talent in solving cases. Bai Fengxi pondered how the culprits could have transported the large mechanisms back into the city without being detected, given Yongzhou's tight security.
Before Feng Lanxi could offer his thoughts, Feng Qiwu swiftly analyzed that during festive seasons, performing troupes from surrounding cities would enter the capital, bringing their costumes and stage equipment. She suggested the mechanisms could have been hidden among these items. Since troupes usually stayed until after the Lantern Festival, the stolen treasury money must still be in their possession.
Feng Qiwu elaborated that the culpable troupes would likely be small, not well-established, and would reside in secluded courtyards rather than inns, making them easier to track. Feng Lanxi agreed with her reasoning and immediately dispatched his men to locate such troupes. Meanwhile, Bai Fengxi and Feng Qiwu, having reached similar conclusions, continued their conversation without much heed for Feng Lanxi's input. Later, Bai Fengxi and Feng Qiwu explored the bustling market, where they picked out hairpins for each other.
Feng Lanxi followed them discreetly, feeling somewhat redundant. Zhong Li took the opportunity to remind Feng Lanxi of romance novels, where scholars would put aside their pride to win the hearts of beautiful women. He even prepared a mask for Feng Lanxi, hoping he would join Bai Fengxi in a dance, but Feng Lanxi, ever proud, refused to admit his intentions. Eventually, encouraged by Bai Fengxi, Feng Qiwu bravely put on a mask and joined the Magpie Bridge Dance.
Feng Lanxi, still in pursuit, encountered Bai Fengxi in the dance. They shared a brief dance, after which he shyly and hastily departed, much to Bai Fengxi's amusement. The next day, Feng Lanxi visited Feng Qiwu, noticing she had only prepared food that Bai Fengxi favored, which made him feel a little awkward. He revealed that his investigations had narrowed down the suspects to the Dafu Troupe in the south of the city, which matched their criteria.
Feng Qiwu expressed concern about investigating openly, but Bai Fengxi suggested they could do so legitimately, with Feng Lanxi's help. Thus, they went undercover, dressed as commoners—Feng Lanxi as "Mu Feng" and Bai Fengxi as his maid "Xiao Xi"—to learn performing arts at the Dafu Troupe. To gain the troupe leader's trust, Feng Lanxi spontaneously showcased his impressive singing skills, dazzling everyone present.
The troupe leader, secretly harboring suspicions, agreed to let "Mu Feng" and "Xiao Xi" stay, planning to use Feng Lanxi to provide cover for their operations. He also thought that if Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi were government agents, the troupe grounds would become their burial place. That night, Bai Fengxi, dressed in black and masked, stealthily entered the troupe leader's quarters to search for clues.
However, the troupe leader was about to return to his room and spotted her leaping out of the window. The leader, along with other troupe members, then stormed into Feng Lanxi's room, demanding to know Bai Fengxi's whereabouts. They eventually found her hiding in a cabinet, looking startled.
Thinking quickly, Bai Fengxi fabricated a story: she introduced herself as Li Yulan, daughter of the Li family from Suicheng, and Feng Lanxi, "Mu Feng," as her husband, Shang Yunhai, a renowned actor from the Qingyan Troupe. She claimed they were deeply in love but eloped because her father disapproved, seeking refuge in Yongzhou under false identities.
Coincidentally, one of the troupe members had heard of Shang Yunhai and the story of his elopement with a young lady from Suicheng about a month ago. This unexpected corroboration dispelled the troupe leader's suspicions. Over the next two days, Bai Fengxi and Feng Lanxi maintained their guise as a loving, eloped couple. Bai Fengxi, observing the old, dusty structure, realized the stolen treasury money was likely hidden on the roof.
She and Feng Lanxi then ascended to the rooftop, lifted some tiles, and indeed discovered the hidden money. Feng Lanxi immediately ordered Zhong Li to arrest the troupe members. However, the suspects had already coordinated their testimonies, making it impossible to extract any useful information. To make matters worse, news arrived from the Ministry of Justice that Prince Ju had found sufficient evidence to convict Vice Minister Zhou by the next day's court assembly.
With time running out, Bai Fengxi conceived a desperate plan. She pretended to order the execution of the uncooperative troupe members one by one. Terrified, the troupe leader immediately confessed that their accomplice was Li Mu, a Chamberlain in the Ministry of Revenue's finance department. Feng Qiwu couldn't help but praise Bai Fengxi, marveling at her as a truly extraordinary woman—unconventional and defiant of etiquette, yet more capable than many men, inspiring both admiration and envy.
Zhong Li promptly apprehended Li Mu and recovered the crucial ledger, proving Vice Minister Zhou's innocence. After the crisis, Feng Lanxi, still reflecting on their earlier conversation, asked Zhong Li, who had read numerous romance novels, to elaborate on how protagonists expressed their feelings. Zhong Li detailed the three key elements: mood, romantic words, and a love token. However, Feng Lanxi's mind consistently translated these concepts into military strategies, such as ambushes, main forces, and recruiting surrendered generals.
Observing his master's purely tactical interpretations, Zhong Li eventually despaired, concluding that Feng Lanxi's mind, preoccupied with battlefields, was far removed from matters of love. During the morning court assembly, Feng Qiwu reported to the Yong King that her recent attack was related to her investigation into the treasury theft.
She revealed that the true culprit behind the embezzlement and theft was not Vice Minister Zhou but Li Mu, the Chamberlain of the Ministry of Revenue's finance department, who had conspired with the three corrupt officials arrested by Prince Ju. Li Mu had framed Zhou Zhong out of fear of exposure. Feng Qiwu presented the recovered stolen treasury money, which had been transported outside the hall, along with evidence and Li Mu's confession.
Prince Ju, enraged, accused Feng Qiwu of attempting to absolve Zhou Zhong by belatedly presenting the stolen goods and finding a scapegoat. However, the Yong King, greatly pleased by the recovery of the treasury funds, declared Feng Qiwu's actions a significant achievement. Recognizing that she had investigated without royal decree, he balanced her merit against her transgression, forgiving her unauthorized actions.
He then ordered both Feng Qiwu and Prince Ju to jointly conduct a thorough investigation into the corruption case within the Ministry of Revenue. At his residence, Yu Wuyuan's subordinate informed him that Prince Ju was rushing towards them after the court assembly, likely in a furious state. Yu Wuyuan remained unfazed, explaining that Feng Lanxi had not seen through his scheme but had merely fallen into his trap.
He had deliberately allowed Feng Lanxi to succeed in this round to make him lower his guard. The treasury theft, Yu Wuyuan revealed, was merely a diversion. His ultimate goal was to utterly dismantle Feng Lanxi and eradicate the Fountain Abode, thereby stripping Feng Lanxi of any eligibility to contend for the rule of the land.
When Feng Ju arrived, fuming that the plan Yu Wuyuan had set for him had been "discovered" by Feng Lanxi, he demanded to know if Yu Wuyuan had any other brilliant strategies. To compensate for the perceived setback, Yu Wuyuan offered to help Feng Ju achieve his ambition of becoming the Heir Apparent.
He explained that since Feng Lanxi was the legitimate eldest son and older than Prince Ju, there was only one path to the position of heir: making the Yong King wary of Feng Lanxi. Yu Wuyuan reasoned that the King, a master of balance, would never allow an heir to become stronger than himself.
He then presented Feng Ju with a sachet containing strategies to use against Feng Lanxi, instructing him to open it only when Feng Lanxi left the capital. Yu Wuyuan also requested Feng Ju's cooperation in staging a "performance."
