Your Highness Episode 18 Recap
> Your Highness Recap
Having lost all his internal energy, Qin Zhan, still possessing his intellect and memories, engaged several Liao soldiers. Armed with a broom and a wine bottle, he utilized a drunken form of Dugu Swordplay. However, a broom proved to be an ineffective weapon against the Liao forces, particularly their leader who had consumed a 'transmission pill'.
Qin Zhan was ultimately kicked into a room, where Tantai Ziyu, who had been trembling and hiding under a chair, emerged to hand Qin Zhan a treasured sword. This sword, left by Xue Shenyi, was originally intended by his master solely for warding off evil and was said to rust upon seeing blood. Disregarding the warning, Qin Zhan wielded the sword effectively, striking with lethal precision, killing the Liao leader, and causing the remaining Liao soldiers to flee.
He then changed into his old clothes and departed with Ming Yue. As they left, a youth whom Qin Zhan had previously saved (or Ling'er) informed him that Yu Chen, whom Qin Zhan had believed dead, was actually alive, a fact that greatly excited him. He learned that Liao forces had spread false rumors of her death, and that Yu Chen was currently in Kaifeng with Zhao Xu, actively fighting against the Liao and searching for his whereabouts.
Qin Zhan, eager to reunite with her, advised the youth to evacuate the area, warning that Liao soldiers would soon return. Meanwhile, Zhao Xu's plan was to retreat to Kaifeng to preserve their strength and deplete the Liao forces, urging Yu Chen to prioritize healing there before continuing her search for Qin Zhan. Elsewhere, Xiao Kangjian led Liao forces to besiege Li Qingxue and the last remnants of Xixia soldiers.
Li Qingxue, having mastered the "Twisted Arm Divine Skill" (also known as "Tianshan Zhemei Hand") taught by Qin Zhan, adeptly broke the arms and legs of over 30,000 Liao warriors. However, during the fierce battle, she was distracted by Miao San and ultimately overpowered and captured by "dead soldiers," who may have been trained by Xiao Naihe.
The Liao army then penetrated the Xixia Imperial Palace, forcing the Xixia Empress Dowager (or Empress) to submit a surrender document, rendering Xixia a puppet state. Xiao Tianzhen issued an outrageous command, demanding Li Qingxue be brought to him alive and forced to marry him as a concubine. To protect Xixia and its people, Li Qingxue nobly sacrificed herself and agreed to the marriage.
Qin Zhan, having parted ways with the youth and "someone" (Tantai Ziyu), then headed to Lingjiu Palace. He had heard rumors that Ding Laoguai had allied with the Liao, but he disbelieved them. Indeed, Ding Laoguai, guarding Lingjiu Palace, had only feigned allegiance to the Liao, acting as their lackey by collecting rent from the people in order to protect the palace.
This was an elaborate ruse, coordinated with Hao Dongzhu and several other "evil faction cave masters" to deceive the Liao soldiers. Ding Laoguai used his own dwindling funds to pay the rent for the villagers, saving their lives. However, Liao greed and his limited resources made this unsustainable. Knowing the trick would eventually be exposed, Ding Laoguai forcefully sent the other evil faction cave masters to Dali for refuge, preparing to make a final stand alone at Lingjiu Palace.
Ding Laoguai, who had been mourning Qin Zhan's presumed death at Duanxinya Cliff, was greatly surprised and overjoyed when Qin Zhan and Ming Yue suddenly appeared at Lingjiu Palace, rushing to him like "long-awaited rain." Having learned of Li Qingxue's capture, Qin Zhan, despite his lack of internal energy, immediately devised an inside-outside rescue plan with Ding Laoguai for the following day, instructing Ding Laoguai to maintain his "undercover" status should their plan fail.
The next morning, a Liao leader (or Xiao Kangjian) escorted Li Qingxue, chained and unconscious, in a carriage towards Xiao Tianzhen's residence (or the Liao royal family). Along the journey, Ding Laoguai's people secretly set up a temporary tea house where the Liao soldiers paused to rest and unknowingly drank tea laced with a potent sleeping drug. As they continued their journey, Qin Zhan suddenly appeared, blocking the army amidst what seemed like "evil winds."
Ming Yue, hidden in a rocky cliff behind Qin Zhan, actively fanned a fan to create "special effects" and the illusion of Qin Zhan's immense power. Ding Laoguai, eager to prove his worth, rushed forward but was "fanned back" by Qin Zhan, spitting blood and theatrically claiming his internal energy was suppressed, all part of their deception. When Liao "dead soldiers" attempted to charge, they inexplicably fell to their knees, powerless, due to poison secretly administered by Ding Laoguai.
Qin Zhan then waved his hand, and Hao Dongzhu, one of the evil faction cave masters, used explosives to create the illusion of a mountain collapsing in the distance. Overwhelmed by this incredible display, the Liao leader and his troops fled in fear, allowing Li Qingxue to be successfully rescued. Waking up, Li Qingxue instinctively seized Qin Zhan's arm, who was guarding her. Coming to her senses, she recognized the man as her long-admired master.
Overwhelmed with joy, she wept uncontrollably. Their immediate priority was to awaken the guards currently controlled by Xiao Tianzhen to bolster their own small team. Meanwhile, in the Liao Imperial Palace, Xiao Tianzhen's injuries were gradually healing, and he was preparing to personally lead an imperial expedition to subjugate the remaining border nations and unify the world.
