Episode 25 recap: Zhang Zhe's mother passed away.
Upon seeing the crescent-shaped scar behind Xie Dingfei's ear, Duke Xueguo fell silent. Xie Wei recalled the origin of this scar. At the time, he had a archery competition with the emperor, who became angry after losing to him. Duke Xueguo slapped the emperor, leaving behind this scar. After Xie Wei's explanation, Duke Xueguo had no choice but to acknowledge Xie Dingfei as his son. When Xie Wei acted as Xie Dingfei's body double that day, the crescent-shaped scar was left behind behind his ear.
The emperor wanted to reward Xie Dingfei, but at that moment, Gu Chunfang stepped forward and questioned how Xie Dingfei managed to survive back then. Duke Xueguo tried to intervene, but Xie Dingfei continued speaking, revealing that he had been imprisoned by the Prince of Pingnan and had been trying to send himself back to the capital to take control of the military forces in Tongzhou and the capital. This was also the reason why he managed to stay alive.
Xie Dingfei pleaded with the emperor to allow him to reside in the Duke's Residence. Duke Xueguo was astonished, but the emperor granted the request. Xie Wei was extremely satisfied. After the morning court session, Xie Dingfei was showered with flattery by a group of people. Chen Ying asked him why he referred to Duke Xueguo as "Guogongye" (Duke). Xie Dingfei bluntly accused Duke Xueguo of abandoning his birth mother and marrying another person, angering Duke Xueguo, who called him a wicked child. However, Xie Dingfei didn't consider Duke Xueguo as his father at all, and a few words were enough to make Duke Xueguo raise his hand to strike him.
Zhang Zhe implicated Duke Xueguo in embezzling supplies and revealed that everything was Duke Xueguo's scheme, leading to the exposure of the Yan family's wrongful case. The emperor was enraged upon hearing this, but Zhang Zhe still pleaded for a reexamination of the old case. Gu Chunfang hurriedly pulled Zhang Zhe to withdraw. Duke Xueguo was summoned by the empress dowager. If it wasn't for Duke Xueguo, the Prince of Pingnan, back then, the entire Xue family wouldn't have faced extermination. The empress dowager was worried that if the truth was revealed, the entire Xue family would be cursed for eternity.
The emperor summoned the imperial physician to diagnose Empress Qin Gui, stating that it was highly likely she was carrying a prince. This ruined their plan, but the empress dowager had no choice. Now the emperor regarded Empress Qin Gui as precious as his own eyes. Duke Xueguo contemplated taking action against the emperor but was warned by the empress dowager. The emperor sensed that Duke Xueguo's reaction in the court today was unusual. After all, Xie Dingfei was Duke Xueguo's close relative, yet Duke Xueguo's expression today was not that of joy but rather fear.
Xie Wei pleaded with the emperor to entrust him with the Yan family's military seal to ensure the emperor's safety, and the emperor agreed. Gu Chunfang asked Zhang Zhe if there was anything inappropriate about Xie Wei during their journey, but Zhang Zhe concealed Jiang Xue Ning's words and avoided answering.
Gu Chunfang mentioned that Zhang Zhe's mother had visited before and asked him to return home and see her.
Jiang Xue Ning returned to the Jiang family, and initially, Jiang's father had no intention of pursuing the matter further. However, Meng Shi persisted, fearing that Jiang Xue Ning's actions might bring trouble to the entire Jiang family. Jiang's father knew that Meng Shi worried about Jiang Xue Ning every day, but now that she had returned, she was saying such things.
Zhang Zhe hurriedly returned home and discovered his mother's frozen corpse in the snowy field. Upon learning of his mother's death, Jiang Xue Ning rushed to the Zhang family. Zhang Zhe arranged the mourning hall and took care of his grandmother before locking himself in his room. He hated himself.
Xie Wei also learned about this and prepared a carriage to visit. But no one could persuade Zhang Zhe. Jiang Xue Ning cautiously entered his room, and he said he couldn't be considered a good official. Those words sent shivers down Jiang Xue Ning's spine. She blamed herself for causing harm to Zhang Zhe. Everything was her fault. He should have been a bright moon in the sky, not an ordinary man.
At Shangqing Temple, Jiang Xue Ning had asked Zhang Zhe if he believed in past lives. She had dreamt of it. In their past life, Zhang Zhe was misunderstood by the world, and his mother died seeking justice for him. Jiang Xue Ning should have thought about all of this earlier. She used the most hurtful words, saying that she had only been using Zhang Zhe. She didn't want Zhang Zhe to lose his will to survive as he did last time. She refused to harm him again.
Jiang Xue Ning would rather have Zhang Zhe hate her but live well. Just as Xie Wei arrived, he saw Jiang Xue Ning's desolate figure and hurriedly went to see her. Jiang Xue Ning would rather have Zhang Zhe hate her, but she couldn't do it. Despite the pain in her heart, she asked Xie Wei for an answer. Xie Wei embraced her and said that if she couldn't forget, then she should find someone better, someone more suitable.
Jiang Xue Ning had someone keep an eye on Zhang Zhe's movements. She had lost her appetite these past few days. At this moment, she received an invitation from You Fang Yin to visit the Lu Residence.
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