Who Rules The World Episode 36 Recap
> Who Rules The World Recap
The Qing King, on his deathbed, entrusted his daughter Feng Xiyun with the throne, telling her that if she was ambitious, she should become the second female ruler of the Dadong Empire, a queen who would surpass all ancestors and be unparalleled in history. He expressed his regret for not being able to provide her with a life of carefree happiness, where she could simply play freely, and acknowledged that now she must uphold the sky herself.
He reminded her that in a time when the Imperial Family was in decline and states were producing many talents, the balance of the Six States was precarious. Feng Xiyun promised her father that she would protect the people of Qingzhou and remember his words, assuring him that neither she nor her mother or brother ever blamed him. Meanwhile, in Youzhou, the Lord of Youzhou, elated by a major victory, declared his intention to swiftly conquer all of Qingzhou.
Yu Wuyuan advised caution, suggesting it was too soon to advance. He reasoned that Qingzhou, having just lost Langcheng and suffering immense grief, would be recuperating and waiting for the opportune moment to retaliate fiercely. Huang Chao concurred, proposing they should deliberate at length and wait for the Jizhou Skyrider Cavalry. Later, upon hearing that Qingzhou had raised the Baifeng flag and Feng Xiyun had ascended the throne, Huang Chao discussed with Yu Wuyuan.
Yu Wuyuan suggested that retreating would be the best strategy for the Lord of Youzhou, but due to his arrogance, he would not agree. Yu Wuyuan then pointed out that the Lord's eventual defeat would greatly benefit Huang Chao in gaining control over Youzhou, a plan Huang Chao found somewhat cruel. Yu Wuyuan noted that on the battlefield, one either advances or retreats, and that it was time to confront Feng Xiyun and Feng Lanxi.
With her father and brother gone, Qingzhou appointed Princess Feng Xiyun to succeed the throne. Amidst the support of her ministers, Feng Xiyun was successfully crowned Queen of Qingzhou. She stood for a day, gazing over the entire Qingzhou, the land her father and brother had spent their lives protecting. She mourned the loss of her family, feeling she was alone. Feng Lanxi found her and comforted her, reminding her that she still had him.
He assured her that from now on, she would protect the people and fight on the battlefield just as her father and brother did, and he would be by her side no matter what she decided. He further offered the support of the Moyu Cavalry and the Fountain Abode as her backup. Feng Xiyun understood his devotion but insisted she would not draw upon his full resources unless absolutely necessary.
Feng Lanxi promised to protect her with all his might, having made vows to the Qing King, Feng Xiyue, and himself. Feng Xiyun addressed her ministers, vowing to reclaim lost territories and protect her people, and asked for their strategies to defeat the enemy. General Lin Ji expressed his readiness to lead the Fengyun Cavalry to drive out the invaders and avenge the late King and Prince.
Feng Xiyun then ordered General Cheng Zhi to remain in the capital to oversee its defense, while Generals Qi Shu and Lin Ji were to tally the remaining Fengyun Cavalry and join her in Licheng to battle the enemy. She stressed that Qingzhou would not be easily humiliated.
Upon hearing that Qingzhou had raised the Baifeng flag, Huang Chao realized that Feng Xiyun intended to follow in her ancestors' footsteps and was surprised that she was the first among the younger generation to ascend the throne. He noted that he had long suspected Bai Fengxi was Feng Xiyun, and where Bai Fengxi was, Hei Fengxi would surely be. This made the upcoming war a difficult one to win.
A scout reported that the Golden Armor Cavalry vanguard would arrive by dusk the next day or dawn the day after. Feng Xiyun decided to set an ambush at Mount Yi, their inevitable passage. She was confident in the mountain's terrain for hiding troops, despite its apparent lack of cover, based on her extensive travels. General Qi Shu was ordered to lead 500 men to ambush the vanguard and quickly weaken their forces without prolonged engagement.
Feng Lanxi complimented the Fengyun Cavalry, noting their discipline and capability, calling them "worthy of their name." He observed that Feng Xiyun was increasingly embodying the aura of a queen. Feng Xiyun also ordered the evacuation of Licheng's residents to Yangcheng and Qicheng, ensuring sufficient supplies were in place, resolute in fighting a victorious battle to honor her deceased brother. The ambush at Mount Yi proved successful.
The 30,000-strong Golden Armor Cavalry vanguard lost several thousand men even before reaching Licheng. Feng Xiyun predicted Youzhou's main vanguard would arrive at dawn the next day and attack immediately, aiming to compensate for their earlier losses. She planned to use the Bloody Phoenix Formation, created by her ancestor. Feng Lanxi suggested adjustments to the formation, fearing Youzhou, having fought Qingzhou for years, might have a counter-strategy.
Feng Xiyun agreed, acknowledging the need for caution against Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan, who possessed greater insight than ordinary Youzhou officers. She brought forth the formation's diagram, and Feng Lanxi swore an oath never to reveal its secrets. The formation, created by Qingzhou's first ruler, Feng Duying, had helped Emperor Weilie pacify the four directions and was famed for its unpredictability.
Feng Duying, who valued freedom, declined Emperor Weilie’s proposal to share the throne and instead accepted a territory, leading to the division of the land into Six States. Qingzhou, historically peace-loving, rarely used the formation, but Feng Xiyun declared that given her father's passing and her brother's murder, she had no choice but to deploy it to protect her people. As the Golden Armor Cavalry approached within a hundred zhang of the city, Feng Xiyun gave the order to engage.
The 30,000 Youzhou army was completely annihilated overnight under the power of the Bloody Phoenix Formation. The Lord of Youzhou was enraged and demanded a way to break the formation from Yu Wuyuan. Yu Wuyuan explained that the formation was famously unyielding, never having been broken before. Huang Chao suggested that victory was still possible if they first observed the formation.
The Lord of Youzhou, taking this advice, ordered Meng Hai to lead 5,000 elite soldiers to attack the city at nine in the morning, solely for observation. Huang Chao questioned Yu Wuyuan about a sachet he had given to Ye Yan, which was supposed to contain a method to break the formation. Yu Wuyuan admitted that while it did, Feng Xiyun had made changes to the Bloody Phoenix Formation.
He pointed out that with Feng Lanxi assisting Feng Xiyun, they were formidable adversaries for Huang Chao in his quest for power. Huang Chao then asked what they were waiting for. Yu Wuyuan revealed he was waiting for Youzhou’s ultimate weapon: the artilleries, which were the reason they came to Youzhou.
Huang Chao expressed concern about the devastating destruction and countless lives the artilleries would cost, but Yu Wuyuan argued that such powerful weapons should be in their hands to prevent greater bloodshed, asserting that it depended on who controlled them. The Lord of Youzhou, observing Meng Hai’s attack, found that Feng Xiyun hadn’t even deployed the Bloody Phoenix Formation, yet he lost 3,000 more elite troops.
Realizing that Huang Chao was strategically letting him and Qingzhou weaken each other, the Lord of Youzhou, infuriated, ordered the artilleries to be prepared to attack Licheng the day after tomorrow. Feng Xiyun and Feng Lanxi had anticipated this, as Feng Xiyun's goal in blocking Youzhou at Licheng was precisely to force the Lord of Youzhou to deploy these destructive weapons so they could destroy them.
They acknowledged the immense power of artilleries, capable of injuring hundreds with a single shot and breaching the strongest city walls. During their attempt to destroy the artilleries, they only managed to ruin one of the five before Huang Chao appeared, making it impossible to destroy the rest. Feng Xiyun decided on a strategy of "advancing by retreat."
Yu Wuyuan inferred that Feng Xiyun had intentionally given up Licheng to target the remaining four artilleries, understanding that attacking the Youzhou camp directly would be too difficult, and Licheng offered a familiar ground with only one possible location to store them. While Huang Chao and Yu Wuyuan waited to intercept them, their conversation provided a crucial distraction, and all the remaining artilleries were destroyed.
The Lord of Youzhou was furious upon hearing the news of his destroyed artilleries, vowing to capture Feng Xiyun and continue the war until her defeat. Huang Chao remained calm, choosing not to intervene yet. He observed that Feng Xiyun's strategy of disrupting the enemy's mind was highly effective, as her successive actions since Licheng had left the Lord of Youzhou agitated and disoriented.
He decided to first understand his enemy's tactics before acting, mentioning Wuhui Valley as the next battleground where he wondered who would not make it out alive. At the same time, Bai Langhua, along with Xiurong and Han Pu, arrived in Licheng. Bai Langhua reported that while sorting through her deceased father's belongings, she discovered a fragmented jade pendant was missing.
She recalled her father consulting a jade carver in the Yongzhou dungeon who identified the pendant as originating from the Empyrean Yu family. This led her to suspect Yu Wuyuan took the pendant and was her father's killer. She further explained that she, Xiurong, and Han Pu had tracked Yu Wuyuan and Huang Chao to Licheng. There, they found Qingzhou forces, led by General Qi Shu, attempting to destroy the artilleries while surrounded by Youzhou troops.
They assisted by igniting the gunpowder in the firearms camp and setting the barracks on fire, creating a diversion that allowed everyone to escape. Feng Xiyun praised Han Pu for his brave actions. Bai Langhua then revealed their intention to travel to the borders to seek out other Token Keepers for more evidence, given Yu Wuyuan's cunning nature.
