Episode 37 recap: The Emperor Finally Lets Go of His Concerns
In Episode 37, the emperor has taken a liking to Cui Xing Zhou and appointed him as the Deputy Minister of War, which should have been a joyous occasion. However, Shi Yi Kuan, who has been fixated on the military power held by the Duke of Huaiyang, immediately ran to the emperor to gossip when he heard that Cui Xing Zhou got married without informing the Ministry of Revenue.
The emperor, completely unaware of Cui Xing Zhou's marriage, was furious when he found out and clenched his fists tightly. Meanwhile, Cui Xing Zhou felt as anxious as if he had a rabbit in his chest. He knew that marrying so hastily without consulting the emperor, especially after taking the emperor's favored person as his wife, would likely lead to serious repercussions during his audience with the emperor.
Fortunately, Liu Mian Tang sensed his unease and held his hand to encourage him. Once they entered the palace, some people began to nitpick, claiming that Cui Xing Zhou had dawdled on his way to the capital and should lose his title. Cui Xing Zhou wasn't shy about defending himself, stating that he had been too busy protecting the country to attend to family matters. Just returning from battle, with his mother almost harmed, he had rushed into marriage to fulfill her wishes.
At that moment, Cui Xing Zhou's teacher also spoke up for him, but the emperor was still undecided. Liu Mian Tang accompanied Cui Xing Zhou into the palace, where the queen specially hosted a banquet for her, and all the palace concubines attended.
At the banquet, Liu Mian Tang unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance—Sun Yun Niang, the ruthless character who had once caused her injury and pushed her off a cliff. Now transformed into one of the emperor's concubines, Sun Yun Niang's expression changed upon seeing Liu Mian Tang. During the event, a young palace maid accidentally spilled wine on Liu Mian Tang's dress and panicked, bowing repeatedly to apologize.
Liu Mian Tang didn't mind, but the queen noticed that the maid was close to the emperor and suggested that Liu Mian Tang change her outfit. Liu Mian Tang had anticipated this and told Cui Xing Zhou that, no matter the challenges, they shouldn't confront the emperor directly to avoid falling into Duke Sui's trap.
Following the maid to the back garden, Liu Mian Tang encountered the emperor. He asked if she was satisfied with her current life, threatening to annul her marriage to Cui Xing Zhou if she wasn't. Liu Mian Tang calmly replied that if she were still the original Zi Qing, she would naturally bless them and respect her own choices.
The emperor, unwilling to let Liu Mian Tang go, wanted to keep her in the palace. Meanwhile, Cui Xing Zhou was frantic when he couldn't find his wife; he rushed back to the palace and learned that she had been sent away. The queen advised the emperor not to let such a minor issue ruin significant matters, reminding him that Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou were already married, and it wouldn't be good for anyone to force them apart.
The queen's wisdom proved effective. That night, the emperor released Liu Mian Tang, even gifting them a pair of jade cups to wish them love and a long life together. The conflict between Cui Xing Zhou and the emperor had cleared up. The two began to strategize on how to eliminate the emperor's dangerous advisor, Duke Sui. However, Duke Sui was quite cunning, and without solid evidence, they needed to continue investigating the mysterious "Master." Liu Mian Tang and Cui Xing Zhou decided to stay at the Duke's residence to facilitate their inquiry into this enigmatic figure.
Comments(Episode 37)