Episode 31 recap: Li Rong knew that the ministers were unwilling to confront the Emperor directly, so she wanted to push herself forward and use her as a puppet to engage in the struggle
Since Rou Fei did not thoroughly investigate the case of favoritism and corruption, she instead implicated herself, and many noble families demanded that Rou Fei be detained and thoroughly investigated according to the law
Li Rong also questioned the Emperor in the palace, saying that as the ruler, he should set an example and not engage in favoritism or lawlessness. Even if he favored Rou Fei, he should not have sacrificed the justice owed to hundreds of loyal scholars for the sake of one woman, thereby destroying the order of the Great Xia Dynasty. Soon, Rou Fei was imprisoned, and Princess Huaile personally visited her mother in jail, where Rou Fei told her to find a way to kill Li Chuan, and even Li Rong if possible, because if Li Rong died, she would become the Grand Princess of the Great Xia.
The Emperor was enraged to learn that Rou Fei had poisoned him, and finally understood why the common people said the Emperor was alone and isolated. Li Rong and Pei Wen Xuan finally had the same goal, and Pei Wen Xuan was glad that Li Rong was on his side this time. The Emperor was now facing internal and external difficulties, with the noble families and enemy states giving him a headache.
He dreamed of forming a royal army, marching north to pacify the Rong tribes, and repairing the water conservancy in the south to ensure the stability of the Great Xia. Pei Wen Xuan understood the Emperor's poor health and advised him to support Su Wang as the eventual successor.
Cui Yu Lang helped Rou Fei, and Pei Wen Xuan became an important chess piece in Rou Fei's eyes. Rou Fei wanted to use Pei Wen Xuan's power to establish her prestige and recruit talents. Pei Wen Xuan spoke frankly, reminding Rou Fei to think carefully about whether her motives were for money or power.
The imperial examination was in full swing, and as the chief examiner, Pei Wen Xuan ensured fairness.
Rou Fei thus managed to rally a lot of "Su Wang faction" supporters, and her power grew increasingly stronger. However, the seven great noble families suddenly visited the Princess' residence, wanting to use Li Rong as a puppet to support the Grand Princess in seizing power. Li Rong saw through their scheme and took the initiative to attack, bringing the Wang and Gu families under her control.
When the time came for the autumn executions, Li Rong was well-prepared.
She united the noble families to submit a memorial accusing Rou Fei, using solid evidence to fully expose Rou Fei's crimes. Under the pressure of the crowd, the Emperor had no choice but to have Rou Fei imprisoned.
Rou Fei pleaded bitterly in the imperial study, but the Emperor was powerless to change the course of events. He told Rou Fei that the only thing he could do was to leave behind a testament accusing the Crown Prince of framing her, perhaps to preserve Su Wang's reputation.
Rou Fei was utterly dejected and mocked the Emperor, revealing the truth of his many childless years.
In the end, Rou Fei told her daughter Huaile that she had only two choices: either to sever ties with her and distance herself from the royal family, or to kill the Crown Prince and Li Rong so that Su Wang could ascend the throne. Li Rong and Pei Wen Xuan stood together, facing the challenges ahead.
The Emperor, meanwhile, reflected in solitude and became a truly isolated and lonely man.
Comments(Episode 31)