Who Rules The World Episode 34 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
Upon hearing that Baili had fallen ill, Feng Ju rushed back to the capital in disguise, despite military protocol. Baili revealed that her involvement in the murder of the late Queen Yige had been exposed, and Feng Lanxi was gathering evidence to publicly accuse her. Fearing public disgrace and wanting to protect Feng Ju, she considered taking her own life. When Feng Ju asked what he could do, Baili instructed him to "stage a coup."
Feng Ju expressed concern about the consequences of failure, but Baili reminded him that she had acted out of necessity to protect them and that the title of heir was not yet secure. She also noted that Feng Ju had been secretly amassing his own army, indicating his own concerns. Feng Ju confessed he was doing this for self-preservation, believing he couldn't compete with Feng Lanxi's excellence in Yong Wang's eyes.
Recognizing the opportunity with Yong Wang's main army deployed south, Feng Ju agreed to the coup but requested Baili's assistance. She pledged her support, and Feng Ju promised to protect her in return. Meanwhile, Zhong Li presented Feng Lanxi with a list of officials involved in framing the late Queen Yige. Feng Lanxi identified Duke Liang among them and confronted him.
Feng Lanxi accused Duke Liang of conspiring with Minister Wang and Baili 21 years ago to poison Queen Yige with Nux Vomica. He presented a secret letter from Baili to Duke Liang, which a servant had saved, proving the plot. Feng Lanxi asked why they harmed his mother, who had been beneficial to Yongzhou. Duke Liang revealed that Queen Yige was a member of the Dadong Imperial Family; they initially used her to strengthen ties.
However, once Yongzhou prospered, her continued presence would forever bind Yongzhou to the weakening Dadong, hindering its ambition to conquer the world. Her death also opened up the heir's position. Duke Liang claimed Yong Wang was unaware of their specific actions. Official Zhang Zhongge, who had been secretly listening to Duke Liang's confession, stepped forward to announce the duke's conviction for plotting against the late queen, a crime considered rebellion.
Feng Lanxi then offered Duke Liang a chance to save his family by admitting his guilt in court, which Duke Liang accepted. Immediately after, Zhong Li burst in with urgent news: Feng Ju was staging a coup. The reported "bandit suppression" was merely a cover for Feng Ju to secretly amass his own army. Feng Lanxi instructed Zhong Li to gather Du Xianniang and Duke Liang, keeping them ready as witnesses.
Zhang Zhongge expressed concern about how Feng Ju's massive troop movements went undetected. Feng Lanxi explained that local officials in cities like Zhangcheng and Xiaocheng were likely bribed and turned a blind eye, especially considering Feng Ju's status as a favored prince. Zhang Zhongge urged Feng Lanxi to immediately inform Yong Wang in the palace. As Feng Lanxi prepared to go to the palace with Zhang Zhongge, Feng Qiwu arrived and reported alarming changes in the palace's security.
She saw Zhao Hai, the head of the Royal Army, and noticed that the Royal Army had been replaced by the city defense garrison, whose guards were loyal to Minister Wang. Feng Lanxi recognized this as part of Feng Ju's calculated rebellion. With most of Yongzhou's military forces deployed elsewhere, he realized there was no time to recall them.
He concluded that Yancheng, where the Feng family's hidden army had been stationed for generations, was their only hope for timely intervention. Since Yong Wang was in the palace and couldn't issue the commander's tally, Feng Lanxi asked Feng Qiwu to personally travel to Yancheng to mobilize the troops. Bai Fengxi volunteered to accompany Feng Qiwu for her protection, and Feng Lanxi assented, urging them to be careful. Feng Lanxi then proceeded to the palace with Zhang Zhongge.
At Yong Wang's 50th birthday banquet, which was a muted affair due to the recent death of the Dadong Emperor, Baili attempted to sow discord. She remarked on Feng Lanxi being seen in the Imperial City purchasing Lingzhi, implying he prioritized the Dadong Imperial Family over his own father by attending to his late uncle but missing Yong Wang's birthday. Yong Wang was clearly displeased, feeling Feng Lanxi was closer to Dadong royalty.
Meanwhile, Feng Ju was confident his forces, ready to attack, would frame Feng Lanxi perfectly. Suddenly, a report arrived: an army of 30,000 was besieging the city, conspicuously flying the banner of Marquis Yongping, Feng Lanxi. Yong Wang, furious, demanded more information. As the news of the siege spread, ministers immediately accused Feng Lanxi of treason and rebellion.
Feng Ju seized the opportunity, offering to lead a sortie to seek reinforcements, but stipulated that he needed Yong Wang's commander's tally to do so. Minister Wang supported Feng Ju, urging Yong Wang to act swiftly without hesitation. Yong Wang, under pressure, ordered Yuan Lu to fetch the tally. As he handed it to Feng Ju, he emphasized the immense responsibility that came with commanding an army, cautioning him to weigh his actions carefully.
Capitalizing on the moment, Feng Ju then declared that the tally would be ineffective unless he was formally named the Heir. Faced with no other options, Yong Wang reluctantly issued a decree, denouncing Feng Lanxi as a traitor and officially proclaiming Feng Ju as the Heir of Yongzhou. Feng Lanxi dramatically entered the hall, publicly challenging who was truly orchestrating the rebellion and commanding the besieging army.
Feng Ju attempted to blame Feng Lanxi, but Zhang Zhongge stepped forward, presenting irrefutable evidence that the attacking forces were under Feng Ju's command, intended to frame Feng Lanxi. Feng Ju, panicking, tried to discredit Zhang Zhongge, but Zhang Zhongge countered by exposing Minister Wang's suspicious move of replacing the Royal Army with his personal city defense garrison.
As Zhang Zhongge handed the evidence to Yong Wang, Minister Wang covertly urged Feng Ju to capture Feng Lanxi to resolve the crisis. Guards moved to seize Feng Lanxi, but he effortlessly fended them off, revealing his recovered martial arts skills, to Feng Ju's shock. Yong Wang, having reviewed the evidence, confronted a silent Feng Ju.
Minister Wang then advised Feng Ju that with their plot exposed, there was no turning back, and he must not surrender his military command, lest all their efforts be in vain. Feng Ju, embracing his true intentions, declared that he only sought the Heir title and military power, and the current situation was not his fault. Yong Wang, enraged, ordered Feng Lanxi to arrest Feng Ju.
Just as the confrontation escalated, Minister Wang escalated further, demanding Yong Wang abdicate and issue a decree for Feng Lanxi's execution, claiming this was the only way to resolve the crisis. Feng Lanxi then publicly exposed Minister Wang as a deep-cover spy from Jizhou, a fact Minister Wang coolly admitted, explaining his goal was a non-aggression pact if Feng Ju ascended. Feeling betrayed but also emboldened, Feng Ju unleashed his true bitterness.
He admitted his actions stemmed from Feng Lanxi's superior abilities and his own fear of being forever suppressed. He accused Feng Lanxi of hypocrisy and scathingly condemned Yong Wang for his singular focus on power and his distrust of his own sons, citing Feng Lanxi's past disinheritance and loss of martial arts as prime examples. He even insinuated that Feng Lanxi suspected Yong Wang's involvement in Queen Yige's death, prompting his secret investigation.
Feng Lanxi, with his mother’s murder finally brought to light, formally accused Queen Baili, Minister Wang, and Duke Liang of poisoning Queen Yige, presenting all the evidence. Yong Wang was visibly stunned. Baili, in a moment of desperate honesty, admitted to the murder, stating it was necessary for her to become queen and for Feng Ju to become heir. Minister Wang, seizing on the chaos, again pressed Yong Wang to abdicate.
Feng Ju, in a fit of rage, ordered dozens of archers, who had been hiding outside, to storm in and aim at Feng Lanxi. Minister Wang, thinking he still held leverage, taunted Feng Lanxi, claiming that if he were killed, explosives planted outside the palace would detonate. However, Feng Chang stepped in, revealing that he, at Feng Lanxi's instruction, had already cleared all the explosives from around the palace.
Just then, Feng Qiwu and Bai Fengxi arrived, announcing that the rebel leader had been captured and the outside forces had surrendered. Minister Wang's plan was completely thwarted. Yong Wang, now fully aware of the treachery, immediately ordered the arrest of Baili, Feng Ju, and the traitorous Minister Wang. Feng Lanxi brought Du Xianniang and Duke Liang forward as key witnesses.
In a frantic attempt to save herself, Baili desperately tried to shift all blame onto Minister Wang, claiming she was merely a pawn in his scheme. Minister Wang, however, exposed her complicity, stating he only "fueled the fire" because she harbored her own ambitions. Baili then lashed back, accusing Minister Wang of instigating the poisoning of Queen Yige and later manipulating her into the coup.
Feng Chang confronted Baili, asking if she felt any remorse for Queen Yige, but Baili focused on defending Feng Ju. Feng Ju, utterly unrepentant, directed his anger at Yong Wang. He bitterly recounted a life lived in fear and constant scrutiny under his father, claiming Yong Wang's focus was solely on power and the throne, even fearing his own capable sons like Feng Lanxi, whom he stripped of martial arts and exiled.
Feng Ju contended that his actions were merely a struggle for survival and that if Yong Wang truly valued paternal affection, Feng Lanxi would not have been kept in the dark about his mother's true cause of death for so long. Enraged by Feng Ju’s words, Yong Wang ordered him and the other conspirators to be taken away. Yong Wang issued his judgment: Minister Wang and other conspirators were to be imprisoned in the dungeon.
Queen Baili, for her crimes of treason and poisoning Queen Yige, was "given white silk to end her life." Prince Feng Ju was "relegated to a commoner" and banished from the capital forever. Before his exile, Feng Ju was granted a final visit to Baili. He entered her palace, initially believing this gesture of mercy proved his father's underlying affection. He expressed a newfound sense of peace in not being the Heir, thinking it would grant him freedom.
However, his words turned to despair as he discovered Baili's lifeless body, leaving him profoundly devastated. Feng Lanxi paid a visit to Yong Wang, who admitted he couldn't sleep all night, reflecting on the tumultuous events. Yong Wang confessed to having wronged Queen Yige and neglecting Feng Lanxi. Feng Lanxi, however, reassured his father that he held no resentment, understanding Yong Wang's burdens as the ruler of Yongzhou.
Yong Wang noted Feng Lanxi's exceptional understanding had, paradoxically, created a distance between them. Acknowledging Feng Lanxi as his "only heir" and reflecting on his own past mistakes of trying to grasp too much, Yong Wang declared that he had decided to "entrust the position of Heir" to Feng Lanxi.
