Who Rules The World Episode 24 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
As the army was on the march, a flock of ravens suddenly appeared, causing the soldiers to fear it was a bad omen. Bai Fengxi, however, saw it as an opportunity for Feng Lanxi to command their respect. She reminded him of historical figures who used perceived omens to their advantage, like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, who hid notes in fish, or Liu Bang, who killed a white snake, to establish their authority.
Feng Lanxi then addressed his worried troops, reframing the ravens not as a bad sign, but as an "updraft" and a "song of war." He cited Emperor Wu of Zhou, under whom the Zhou dynasty prospered after ravens gathered at his palace. Emulating Liu Bang, he declared that if he was destined to conquer Liangcheng and the world, his sword would receive a sign. He then swung his sword, cutting a feather from a raven, and the flock immediately dispersed.
The cheering soldiers took this as a divine blessing, and Feng Lanxi named his new army the Moyu Cavalry, declaring their name would travel far and wide. Bai Fengxi noted how quickly he adapted to the situation. Meanwhile, in Liangcheng, the military commissioner, Yu Ming, received reports of continued provocations from the Qingzhou Army, which were beginning to dampen his soldiers' morale.
Yu Ming assured his subordinates that Qingzhou was merely applying pressure and had no intention of a full invasion. He revealed his true motive for requesting aid from Yongzhou: to "set an example" and secure his control over Liangcheng before the King of Yongzhou inevitably attempted to seize it. Despite being told that the arriving Prince Yongping, Feng Lanxi, was a formidable figure whom even Queen Baili and Prince Ju could not easily manipulate, Yu Ming scoffed.
He declared that in Liangcheng, a "strong dragon cannot overpower a local snake," asserting that Feng Lanxi, if a dragon, would be wise to "stay still," and if lesser, to "lay low." Upon learning that Feng Lanxi's army was only ten li away, Yu Ming decided to lead his officials to welcome them. Yu Ming expressed confusion as he greeted the arriving troops, noting barely a hundred soldiers, far fewer than the five hundred he was expecting.
He ordered the main contingent to remain in the western encampment. Zhong Li, posing as General Chuanyun, explained that a flash flood during their journey had significantly reduced their numbers, and the prince himself had fallen ill.
To justify the smaller retinue entering the city, Zhong Li claimed that the remaining men were personal servants disguised as soldiers, essential for Feng Lanxi's daily needs, and Yu Ming, distracted by the prospect of receiving large sums of silver, allowed them passage while sending the actual soldiers to the encampment. Later, the real Chuanyun reported to Feng Lanxi that the remuneration had been delivered to Yu Ming's residence and Moyu Cavalry were discreetly stationed outside.
Feng Lanxi then confirmed to Zhong Li that his ruse, anticipating Yu Ming's suspicious nature and greed, had worked perfectly. By spreading out the Moyu Cavalry outside the city and having a small, tired-looking group enter, they successfully infiltrated Liangcheng. Feng Lanxi then took Bai Fengxi to the Red Sea Snail Temple, a local temple dedicated to relationships. When asked what he wished to pray for, he revealed he sought a complete understanding of Liangcheng's water canals.
Bai Fengxi immediately observed that the canals, though appearing intricate, were in fact chaotically intertwined and incapable of preventing floods. Feng Lanxi expressed surprise at her knowledge of water management, noting that she always surprised him. Bai Fengxi lamented that even rerouting the canals to Qingzhou wouldn't solve the problem, and countless villagers would suffer during the spring floods due to the corrupt officials who disregarded their subjects' lives.
Concerned for her safety in the unstable city, Feng Lanxi gave her a protective charm he acquired from the temple, to which Bai Fengxi playfully commented on the deity of romance also providing protection. As they walked through Liangcheng, they noticed that prices were even higher than in the capital of Yongzhou, with a simple sesame ball costing five wen compared to three.
Feng Lanxi explained that Liangcheng, a border town with insufficient local crops, relied on small, expensive batches of imported goods. This, combined with disorganized labor and an underdeveloped trading market, was the true cause of the inflated prices. Bai Fengxi was deeply moved by the unbearable suffering of the common people. They witnessed men being forcefully conscripted to repair water canals.
A local shopkeeper told them that government funds intended for these projects never reached the workers, who toiled day and night without pay. Seeing this injustice, Bai Fengxi vowed to assist Feng Lanxi should he decide to eliminate the city's corrupt officials. To further ascertain Feng Lanxi's supposed weakness, Yu Ming personally delivered tonics to his residence.
He asked about Feng Lanxi's illness, to which Feng Lanxi, now having replaced Zhong Li, claimed to suffer from emphysema since childhood, exacerbated by the difficult journey to Liangcheng. Yu Ming also presented Feng Lanxi with the commander's tally and military seal, effectively offering him control of Liangcheng. Feng Lanxi, feigning humility, declined, stating that his father merely sent him to "support Liangcheng" and that Yu Ming would remain the Southern Military Commissioner.
After Yu Ming left, Feng Lanxi commented to his men on Yu Ming's cunning "test," acknowledging that his timely return prevented their plan from being exposed. He immediately ordered Zhong Li to deploy secret agents to quickly map out Liangcheng's defenses. Meanwhile, Yu Ming found Feng Lanxi's refusal of the military power highly suspicious.
He pondered that no "dog" would refuse a "steamy meat bun," concluding that Feng Lanxi was either genuinely ill, or, more likely, a "wolf" with greater ambitions, not merely content with what was offered. He instructed his subordinates to continue their investigation into Feng Lanxi's true nature. Separately, Wang Shuilong informed Bai Jiande that Zeng Jiuhai had been murdered.
Bai Jiande deduced that the person forging the fake Empyrean Tokens must be one of the Token Keepers, and Zeng Jiuhai was likely silenced for discovering a clue. Wang Shuilong also recovered Zeng Jiuhai's luggage, which contained a piece of spectacular Han White Marble jade—an item of such quality that only a high-ranking individual in the Imperial City could possess. This discovery prompted Bai Jiande to travel to the Imperial City for further investigation.
Meanwhile, Yu Wuyuan received intelligence that Yan Ling, a follower of Grand Tutor Ran, was leading a faction preparing for a revolt in Jizhou. He also learned that the Token Keepers had discovered his involvement, but his spies in the capital of Yongzhou had dealt with them. Yu Wuyuan acknowledged that his plan to use fake Empyrean Tokens to sow chaos, which he had proposed to the Emperor, was disrupted by Bai Fengxi.
He surmised that one of the three fake tokens must have fallen into the hands of the Token Keepers, leading to their early discovery. Determined to proceed, he resolved to "expedite the execution" of his plans. Despite having his blood curse temporarily suppressed and his Ju Xu Army growing, Yu Wuyuan dismissed suggestions to abandon Huang Chao. He saw Huang Chao, with his talent and ambition, as the "key" to unlocking the world's current stalemate.
Yu Wuyuan intended to help Huang Chao unite Jizhou, believing that this would inevitably lead him to conquer the entire world, a war that no one could stop. When his subordinate voiced concerns about Huang Chao becoming too powerful to control, Yu Wuyuan confidently stated that a stronger Huang Chao would only create more enemies, making his enemies' enemies their allies.
He declared that if Huang Chao was destined to be a great ruler, then he himself would be the silent power behind the throne, asserting that one need not sit on the throne to control the world. Days later, Yu Ming received more letters from Yongzhou describing Feng Lanxi as intelligent but physically weak, often manipulated by Queen Baili.
Finding the complete consistency of these reports suspicious, Yu Ming decided to host a banquet under the guise of "boosting morale" to further test Feng Lanxi. Feng Lanxi, upon receiving the invitation, recognized it as a "Hongmen Banquet" but declared it the "opening" he needed, instructing Chuanyun to prepare. Bai Fengxi insisted on accompanying him, and Feng Lanxi agreed. At the feast, Feng Lanxi was immediately pressed to drink by the attending officials.
He teasingly pulled Bai Fengxi onto his lap, instructing her to drink on his behalf. Yu Ming, offering a special local brew, then toasted Feng Lanxi. After drinking, Feng Lanxi began to feel dizzy, realizing the wine contained "Thousand Days of Stupor" and Yu Ming's true intention was to control him with "devil's trumpet" and turn him into a puppet. However, Feng Lanxi had suppressed the poison with his inner force.
Just as Yu Ming began to gloat, a Moyu Cavalry officer announced that they had breached the city defenses and the Liangcheng Army had surrendered. Yu Ming, stunned by his own miscalculation, attempted to bargain, offering his continued aid in governing Liangcheng due to his familiarity with the city. Bai Fengxi, however, condemned his "familiarity" as exploiting commoners and his "governance" as built on deceit. Declaring that he "deserved to die," she swiftly struck him down with her sword.
Feng Lanxi then addressed the remaining officials, reminding them he was new to Liangcheng's affairs and seeking their full cooperation, to which they pledged their absolute loyalty. In Dadong, Princess Hua Chunran arrived at the Imperial Palace's Lotus Palace to present Buddha's sarira. Locals observed her arrival with great excitement, believing her mission and the sarira would bring peace to the empire. As Hua Chunran presented the relic to the Emperor, the lotus flowers in the palace gardens miraculously bloomed.
The delighted Emperor proclaimed that with a sacred maiden delivering the sarira and lotuses blooming, the Dadong Empire was indeed blessed. He ordered this joyous news be announced throughout the land and bestowed upon Hua Chunran the title of "the Divine Fairy of Dadong Empire" for her meritorious service. Later, Hua Chunran revealed to her attendant that the blossoming lotuses were merely a trick; she had arranged for a eunuch to force the buds open beforehand.
Her attendant questioned why she went to such lengths, even traveling to the Imperial City on foot, despite her beauty already attracting many suitors, including Prince Huang Chao. Hua Chunran explained that to truly embody the title of Divine Fairy, she needed more than just a royal decree; she needed the story to spread among the common people, who would exaggerate it, thereby cementing her reputation across the entire Dadong Empire.
She emphasized that only with such a prestigious title could she stand on "equal ground" with powerful figures like Huang Chao and gain the leverage she desired. She dismissed Huang Chao as "not my concern."
