Episode 35 recap: A Mai returned to the battlefield.
A Mai told Tang Shao Yi that Prime Minister Lin called her to the dungeon before the execution. Tang Shao Yi asked why Prime Minister Lin wanted to see her. A Mai told Tang Shao Yi that Prime Minister Lin informed her about the conspiracy between Shang Yi Zhi and Chen Qi. Shang Yi Zhi believed that only A Mai could protect Jingyang.
Chang Yu Qing saw the jade ring he gave to A Mai at that time, along with a letter. Shang Yi Zhi asked Zhang Taijian what time it was now, and Zhang Taijian told him. He also asked Zhang Taijian how many days Empress Huang Guifei had not entered the palace, and Zhang Taijian told him it had been five days.
Shang Yi Zhi instructed him to wear his own emblem and asked A Mai to come to the palace to meet him. A Mai told Tang Shao Yi that Prime Minister Lin sent her to the dungeon before the execution, and Prime Minister Lin informed A Mai about the conspiracy between Shang Yi Zhi and Chen Qi.
Tang Shao Yi found it impossible to believe. He said that everyone knew A Mai and Chen Qi had an irreconcilable hatred, and Shang Yi Zhi could not be unaware of it. Tang Shao Yi believed that it must be Prime Minister Lin, the treacherous dog, trying to sow discord between the two of them.
A servant from the palace came to inform A Mai that Shang Yi Zhi requested to see her. A Mai entered the palace and met Shang Yi Zhi. Shang Yi Zhi took out a box and told A Mai it was a gift he wanted to give her. A Mai said she didn't like it without even looking at it.
Shang Yi Zhi asked how she could dislike it without even looking at it. A Mai opened the box and saw a phoenix hairpin. A Mai knew it was the Empress's accessory, and Shang Yi Zhi told her that the current Empress was not his desired choice. He told A Mai that if she was angry because of this, he could depose the Empress tomorrow.
If she was still unsatisfied, the two of them could discuss a plan to kill the Empress. A Mai looked at Shang Yi Zhi in disbelief and asked if he meant that if she wore it, she would be the next one to be killed. Shang Yi Zhi told A Mai that he didn't mean it that way, and he wanted A Mai to change her mind and do anything for him.
Shang Yi Zhi asked A Mai if she was angry because of the concubines in his harem. If that was the case, he could kill all of them. A Mai was shocked by what Shang Yi Zhi said. She thought he was capable of doing it; he was truly insane.
A Mai asked Shang Yi Zhi if there was anything else. If there was nothing, she didn't want to talk to this madman anymore. Saying that, A Mai prepared to leave.
Shang Yi Zhi stopped her and asked if A Mai didn't want to marry him because of Tang Shao Yi or Chang Yu Qing. A Mai asked him if he wanted to kill both of them too. Shang Yi Zhi told her that if she really fell in love with someone else, he would kill them all. A Mai told him not to harm her people. Shang Yi Zhi asked A Mai if she still loved him. A Mai told him that they had no relationship anymore. As soon as Shang Yi Zhi heard that, he ordered his men to send A Mai back to Changle Palace.
A Mai asked him if he wanted to confine her. Shang Yi Zhi told her that since they had no relationship, they should start developing feelings for each other. The Bei Mo army was preparing to attack Nan Xia, and all the ministers believed that only A Mai was capable of handling it. Shang Yi Zhi asked if, in the vast city of Nan Xia, no one besides A Mai was competent.
Shang Yi Zhi handed the tiger talisman to A Mai and told her not to worry because he had already sent a team of elite soldiers. Chen Qi learned that the Nan Xia army had reached Jingyang Pass, led by Han Maisui. Chang Yu Qing received the jade ring he gave to A Mai, along with a letter.
Chen Qi told A Mai that he didn't want to confront her with a sword, as he could attack Jingyang City once and attack it a second time. Just as he was saying that, Chang Yu Qing launched a surprise attack on them from behind. A Mai felt that Chen Qi was truly despicable. Chen Qi told her that it was called using deceit in warfare. Tang Shao Yi quickly asked A Mai to take some soldiers and return to Jingyang City.
A Mai arrived at Jingyang City with Wang Qi and Er Dan. She instructed the two of them to evacuate the civilians from the city and capture the spies within the city. During the confrontation between Tang Shao Yi and Chen Qi, Tang Shao Yi was killed. He muttered that he could only accompany A Mai for a drink in the next life.
A Mai encountered Chang Yu Qing and learned about the letter and the jade ring. A Mai recalled that before she came to Jingyang Pass, Shang Yi Zhi asked her to give him the jade ring. She realized that she had been tricked and hurried back. Er Dan and Wang Qi came to inform A Mai that Tang Shao Yi had died in battle.
A Mai was devastated, and she took Qi Yu away from Shengdu.
I feel like A Mai's role in the military is like a prequel to "Qie Shi Tian Xia"! The storyline connects seamlessly and feels familiar. Interestingly, the male lead Shang Yi Zhi is actually the ancestor of Yu Wu Yuan in "Qie Shi Tian Xia," who was the first emperor of that country and led the seven generals to establish their dominion.
He later betrayed and killed his teacher, Tian Ren Yu Jia, just like how the main character, Yu Wu Yuan, did. He also wanted to marry the queen of Qingzhou, one of the seven kings at the time, who is similar to A Mai, a female general and war goddess.
However, because the emperor killed his loyal teacher after ascending the throne, Qingzhou's queen felt disillusioned and they didn't end up together. The emperor and the queen of Qingzhou had feelings for each other, but ultimately their values didn't align, and they couldn't be together.