Episode 23 recap: Zhong Yong Hou and his minions were cleared out, and the He family's grievances were finally vindicated.
Jiuling arrived at Rong Yu's lecture venue and asked him to talk about her marriage fate. Rong Yu remained silent, so Jiuling started speaking on her own, saying that the master and madam were a perfect match. However, Rong Yu corrected her in front of everyone, stating that he had already divorced the madam. Jiuling realized that the perfect match described by the astrology was not about herself and Rong Yu but someone else, leaving her disappointed.
Regent Prince Zhong Yong Hou stormed into the main hall with his men, demanding answers from the Emperor. He accused his uncle of orchestrating an attack against him in the hunting grounds. The Emperor defended himself, saying that everyone inside and outside the palace was arranged by his uncle, so how could he control everything? Zhong Yong Hou accused the Emperor of being evasive and coveting the He family's situation.
The Emperor asked if his uncle was admitting that he had eliminated the entire He family. Zhong Yong Hou, aware of the Emperor's recent illness, advised him to rest and not worry about court affairs. The Emperor realized that his uncle intended to confine him and called for help, but no one responded. Zhong Yong Hou sneered, saying that he had been too lenient, which made the Emperor grow wings.
Jiuling pursued Rong Yu, asking him why they kept encountering each other if they had no destined connection. Rong Yu said he no longer had feelings for Jiuling. Unconvinced, Jiuling asked why he risked his life to save her from the fire. Rong Yu wondered how she could have such a misconception since he already knew she burned down the Astrology Pavilion. How could he still like her?
Zhan Ping finally learned that it was Jiuling who set fire to the Astrology Pavilion, and he was furious with her. Rong Yu ordered his men to clear out Jiuling's belongings and told her to leave. After confining the Emperor, Zhong Yong Hou was immediately surrounded by court officials who flattered him to the utmost.
The Crown Prince rushed back anxiously and urged his father to raise an army to attack Xun Nan and rescue his sister. However, Zhong Yong Hou knew that raising an army was not a trivial matter. The Crown Prince accused his father of being cowardly and indifferent to his daughter's well-being. In response, Zhong Yong Hou slapped him harshly.
Feeling troubled, the Crown Prince went to a tavern to drink, where he unexpectedly encountered Jiuling. The Crown Prince told Jiuling about the mistreatment of his sister by the Xun Nan King, but Jiuling believed he was defaming the Xun Nan King. The Crown Prince pleaded with Jiuling to help save his sister, feeling guilty for how he and his brother had mistreated her in the past. Atan scolded him for speaking out, but Jiuling agreed to write a letter to inquire about the situation. The Crown Prince was grateful for Jiuling's help and wanted to become friends with her, but Jiuling told him that they could never be friends.
The princess secretly visited the place where the Emperor was confined and expressed her intention to protect her younger brother. The Emperor was delighted to see his sister. Zhong Yong Hou informed the Crown Prince about his involvement with Rong Jiang in eliminating the He family. The Crown Prince found it hard to believe that his father could do such a thing. Zhong Yong Hou said he should understand it because he aimed to reach the position of supreme power, while the Crown Prince believed it was time to save his sister.
Zhong Yong Hou, however, was determined to seize the throne and would allow nothing and no one to stand in his way. The Crown Prince was deeply disappointed, realizing that the people closest to him were not as reliable as those he had once harmed. Princess Xilan disguised herself and sought out Jiuling, learning that the Emperor was being held captive by Zhong Yong Hou. Jiuling was filled with urgency and quickly gathered the hidden guards, setting everything in motion.
She led the charge into the palace and rescued the Emperor. He Jiu Ling and the others protected the Emperor as they fought their way out. However, they were blocked by Zhong Yong Hou's men on their path, and despite the presence of the Emperor, Zhong Yong Hou ordered his men to shoot arrows. The Crown Prince saw his father aiming an arrow at Jiuling and rushed forward to shield her.
Witnessing his son being hit by an arrow, Zhong Yong Hou hastily ordered his men to stop. The Crown Prince apologized to Jiuling for his father's actions in harming the He family and promised that if there was a next time, he would do right by everyone because he loved Jiuling. Zhong Yong Hou saw his son closing his eyes in Jiuling's arms and cried out in anguish for his son.
At that moment, Yan Lie arrived with his men and apprehended Zhong Yong Hou, Rong Jiang, and their henchmen. Rong Jiang and his henchmen were sentenced to death, and the wrongful accusations against the He family were finally redressed. Jiuling also asked the Emperor to use her own merits to offset Rong Jiang's crimes against the Astrology Pavilion.
With everything settled, Jiuling visited the graves of her father and brothers, tearfully reporting to them that the He family's grievances had been avenged. Rong Yu prepared to select a new head of the Astrology Pavilion, but the astrologers advised him not to rush the decision. Meanwhile, the border of Jialin was in urgent need of help as the Xun Nan King's forces invaded. The court was in chaos, and the Emperor had no solution. Jiuling stepped forward and requested permission to lead troops to quell the rebellion in Xun Nan.
However, the court officials objected, citing Jiuling's status as a daughter, arguing that she couldn't lead troops. Amidst the commotion, Rong Yu arrived at the front of the court and refuted the baseless arguments of the ministers. Seeing Jiuling's loyalty to Jialin, the Emperor appointed her as General He and decided to accompany her to the southern frontier to face the enemy together.
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