Who Rules The World Episode 29 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
Inside the prison, Bai Jiande held up a jade pendant and asked an old man in the neighboring cell about its origin. The old man, who claimed to be the only one skilled in such intricate engravings, identified the pendant as something he had carved many years ago for the Yu family of the Imperial City. He mentioned that members of the Empyrean Yu family were known for their short lifespans and wondered if any descendants remained.
Bai Jiande pressed for certainty, and the old man reaffirmed his unique craftsmanship, leaving Bai Jiande to ponder if this new information pointed to the individual behind the Qiongqiong organization. Meanwhile, at the Phoenix Palace in Yongzhou, Baili advised Feng Ju on how to secure his position as heir. She noted that while Feng Lanxi had suffered a setback, events could change, and the final decision on the heir was still pending.
With the Yong King's birthday approaching in two months, Baili saw an opportunity for Feng Ju to make his move. As Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi journeyed to Youzhou, Bai Fengxi noticed they were being tailed and questioned why Feng Lanxi didn't shake them off. Feng Lanxi explained that these were the Yong King's secret agents, sent to monitor his every move in Youzhou and report back. Allowing them to follow was a way to reassure his father.
Feng Lanxi revealed that intelligence gathered by the Fountain Abode detailed the candidates and rules for the Youzhou Princess's marriage proposal. He understood that his father did not truly wish for him to marry the princess, as Youzhou's support would grant him significant power, allowing him a chance to overturn his current situation. However, the Yong King also didn't want him to lose and bring shame to Yongzhou.
More importantly, this trip was a test of his loyalty and capabilities, especially after losing his martial arts. Only by proving his competence and unwavering loyalty would his father be satisfied, leading to the release of Master Bai Jiande and the Tianshuang Sect members. Bai Fengxi, acknowledging the complex political maneuvers, agreed that the royal court was indeed full of cunning individuals.
She noted that the first stage of the proposal involved a spar and, given Feng Lanxi's current condition, they would need a clever strategy. Feng Lanxi decided that their immediate goal was to enter the Youzhou Royal Palace and approach Hua Chunran directly. Feng Lanxi explained that Hua Chunran was not just Dadong's greatest beauty but also highly influential in Youzhou's court. Befriending her could help them navigate the spar.
However, Hua Chunran was known for her intelligence and vigilance, having narrowly escaped assassination attempts after delivering the sarira from the Imperial City. She was deeply wary of others, making her trust hard to earn unless the person had no conflicting interests, was amicable, intrigued her with a complementary personality, and preferably, was a woman. Bai Fengxi recognized herself as the ideal candidate for this role due to her unique, free-spirited nature.
Despite her concerns for her Master Bai Jiande and the Tianshuang Sect, Bai Fengxi decided to assist Feng Lanxi, believing it would expedite their rescue. She told him that her master had advised her to follow her heart, and since her master and others were safe for now in Yongzhou, it was better to be proactive. Meanwhile, palace maids discussed the influx of suitors.
They praised Huang Chao, the Heir of Jizhou, for his rising popularity, and also mentioned the recently arrived Prince Yongping, Feng Lanxi of Yongzhou, as elegant and charismatic. Hua Chunran, intrigued, noted that both Huang Chao and Feng Lanxi were among the Four Gentry. She then excused herself, heading to Mingse Garden before her lunch with her father, mentioning that a Snowy Ink plant she cared for might have bloomed.
Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi, in their guise as the martial artists Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi, quietly entered the Royal Palace and met Hua Chunran. Hei Fengxi presented her with a "gift": signed testimonies from two criminals involved in an assassination attempt against her. He explained that he had intervened when the criminals were being silenced. Hua Chunran, acknowledging Fountain Abode's vast intelligence network, thanked them but was summoned to lunch with her father.
She offered them lodging in Luohua Palace. During lunch, Hua Chunran appeared distressed, lamenting the loss of her maid, Hong, and expressing a desire for revenge. She claimed to have secured signed testimonies from Hong's killers, stating they were sent by her elder brother, the Heir of Youzhou. Her brother was visibly shaken, and the Lord of Youzhou prepared to condemn him.
However, Hua Chunran quickly changed her tune, urging her father not to be swayed by rumors and defending her brother, suggesting someone might be trying to drive a wedge between them. Watching from outside, Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi were impressed by Hua Chunran's cunning, noting how she implicated her brother while appearing innocent and vulnerable. They concluded she was more formidable than anticipated.
Bai Fengxi proposed that to truly understand Hua Chunran, she should first befriend the palace maids, believing that lonely individuals with complex minds were eager for genuine connections. Feng Lanxi agreed, adding that he would also seek opportunities to approach Hua Chunran directly.
Over the next few days, Bai Fengxi effortlessly integrated with the maids, sharing makeup tips like the "Caged Smoke Eyebrow" and the "Tearline Blush," and enjoying their company, while Hei Fengxi spent time playing chess with Hua Chunran. During one such game, Bai Fengxi playfully intervened, advising Hua Chunran on a move that would "trap the Foxy," clearly referencing Hei Fengxi and subtly displaying her intimate knowledge of him.
Soon after, the Lord of Youzhou summoned Hua Chunran, having learned about her accommodating two martial arts guests. Hua Chunran boldly admitted to housing Hei Fengxi and Bai Fengxi, praising them as unparalleled martial artists and rare talents. She argued that having them in Youzhou would greatly aid him in his ambition to conquer the world, ensuring Youzhou would no longer be outshone by Yongzhou or Jizhou.
Her words appeased the Lord, who, recognizing her strategic mind, invited her to sit and discuss his plans. While the Lord of Youzhou acknowledged Hua Chunran's shrewdness, he remained cautious of the martial artists. He subtly implied his awareness of their presence by mentioning her brother had reported them, making Hua Chunran briefly fear her brother’s treachery.
The Lord then steered the conversation back to the marriage proposal, listing Prince Lanxi of Yongzhou and Heir Huang Chao of Jizhou as his preferred suitors due to their royal status. However, Hua Chunran expressed interest in Hei Fengxi, a talented commoner who, she argued, could assist Youzhou without posing a threat or harboring ambitions for its throne.
The Lord strongly opposed this, insisting his daughter, a princess, could not marry a commoner, asserting that his public announcement about social class not mattering was merely a tool to win public favor, and his daughter deserved to be a queen. Later, Hua Chunran sketched a portrait of Hei Fengxi, but Bai Fengxi critiqued it as lacking his true essence.
Taking the brush, Bai Fengxi drew a more lifelike depiction, highlighting Hei Fengxi's long, oval face, upward-sloping phoenix eyes, and thin lips, which she playfully described as "coquettish" and characteristic of someone "cold-hearted" and cunning, despite his seemingly righteous appearance. Hua Chunran, impressed by Bai Fengxi's accurate portrayal and understanding of Hei Fengxi, confessed her desire to marry him and asked Bai Fengxi for help. Bai Fengxi then relayed Hua Chunran's request to Hei Fengxi.
He surmised that Hua Chunran's interest was not romantic but pragmatic; she valued Youzhou's future and her own power above all else. Hei Fengxi, as a powerful figure in the martial arts world but without a political base, presented an ideal choice for Hua Chunran to leverage for her ambitions without being controlled.
Bai Fengxi understood that Hua Chunran also sought her help because as a martial artist, she posed no threat, and her close relationship with Hei Fengxi made her a potential influencer, which Hua Chunran intended to test. Hei Fengxi clarified his plan: on the day of the marriage proposal, he would appear as Feng Lanxi, Prince of Yongzhou. To outsiders, Hei Fengxi and Feng Lanxi were one and the same, a perfect match for Youzhou.
But for Hua Chunran, this unexpected reveal would undermine her carefully laid plans, making her unwilling to marry him, as he would no longer be the "unthreatening commoner" she sought to control. Back in Yongzhou, the Yong King received two letters from Youzhou: one from House of Jade and another from his own agents accompanying Prince Yongping. Both contained similar information, but House of Jade's report was far more detailed, even outlining the backgrounds of all suitors.
Yuan Lu expressed admiration for Feng Lanxi's ability to manage the vast intelligence network of Fountain Abode, which contained not only Jianghu and royal information but also secret affairs, each with specialized annotations. The Yong King, however, remained unconvinced of Feng Lanxi's true intentions. Knowing his son well, he believed Feng Lanxi was not one to passively accept his fate or remain in the shadows, asserting that his trip to Youzhou surely involved a hidden agenda.
He pondered the consequences if Feng Lanxi, backed by Youzhou's power, decided to challenge Yongzhou. Confident in his own foresight, the Yong King declared that he too had a contingency plan, and the ultimate outcome would depend on Feng Lanxi's choices.
