Episode 36 recap: There is a conflict between the ruler and his minister, and Xiao Heng is being punished.
Wan Ning marries into the Li family and is mistreated. Li Jin does not treat her well, and Wan Ning's anger causes her to miscarry. She is deeply saddened and confides in Shen Yu Rong, who pretends to console her and says that when the Crown Prince conquers the Great Yan, that will be their wedding day. The Crown Prince has Xiao Heng stay as his son-in-law and arranges for him to meet Si Tu Jiu Yue, but Xiao Heng refuses because of Xue Fang Fei.
To avoid affecting the Great Yan, Xiao Heng secretly arrests and interrogates people, which is discovered by Hong Xiao Di, who punishes him with confinement. Xue Fang Fei accompanies Xue Zhao as he practices walking, and when Xue Zhao sees Xiao Heng, he calls him "brother-in-law", causing Xiao Heng to pause and Xue Fang Fei to blush.
Xiao Heng takes Xue Zhao aside to talk privately, but ends up accidentally falling down while trying to hold him. When Wan Ning wakes up, she feels nauseous and even the jasmine fragrance she usually enjoys is unpleasant to her. She summons the royal physician, who is shocked and nervous after checking her pulse, and under Wan Ning's coercion, reveals that she is pregnant.
Wan Ning is surprised, as the royal physician had previously diagnosed her as unable to conceive when she returned from the vassal state. Learning of her current pregnancy, she orders the physician to be dealt with. Xiao Heng is preparing to leave for the Crown Prince's place, hoping to return soon to witness the unfolding events. Xue Fang Fei plays with Xiao Heng and has him check her pulse.
Xiao Heng is surprised to find that Xue Fang Fei is pregnant, and she reveals that it is a false pregnancy potion intended for Wan Ning, which she had tested on herself first, and then had the Princess Consort tamper with at the birthday banquet. With the betrothal matter resolved, Xiao Heng is concerned about the danger in Xue Fang Fei's plan, as she hopes to expose Wan Ning and Shen Yu Rong's crimes while also helping Xiao Heng capture the Crown Prince.
On the city wall, Hong Xiao Di bids farewell to Xiao Heng. They reminisce about when General Xiao passed away, and how Xiao Heng suspected the Crown Prince of killing his father. With Hong Xiao Di's help, Xiao Heng had secretly investigated the clues, leading to their current mutual trust. Wan Ning lies on the bed, recalling how she was sent as a hostage to the vassal state, where the King there tortured and repeatedly violated her, keeping her confined in a sheep pen and exposing her to the elements, causing her to miscarry multiple times and lose her fertility.
The maid worries that Wan Ning's pregnancy will be discovered and slaps her, thinking she is trying to harm the child. The maid is actually concerned that Shen Yu Rong's career will be ruined. Shen Yu Rong stares out the window, feeling that Heaven has been unfair to him. The maid finds Shen Yu Rong and informs him of Wan Ning's pregnancy.
Wan Ning, disregarding the consequences, wants to seek the Emperor's blessing for a marriage to give her unborn child a legitimate father. Shen Yu Rong is unwilling, and deliberately says he does not want to affect Wan Ning's reputation. Wan Ning only wants to be with the one she loves for life, believing there is nothing she cannot obtain, and wants Shen Yu Rong to wait to receive her and her child back into the Shen family.
Xiao Heng secretly comes to the Great Zhao, but almost gets injured due to tight security, luckily with the help of the bell given by Si Tu Jiu Yue. Si Tu Jiu Yue is overjoyed, thinking Xiao Heng came to see him, but in fact Xiao Heng came to see the Prince of Great Zhao. Xiao Heng hopes the Prince of Great Zhao will support the troops to assist the Great Yan in fighting against the Chengwang.
However, Chengwang had previously sent Chu Lan to remind the Prince of Great Zhao to deal with the Great Yan. The officials of Great Zhao discussed and supported the Great Yan, whose numbers are less than half. Xiao Heng knows the Prince of Great Zhao is waiting for conditions, and the Prince does not trust Hong Xiao Di but trusts Xiao Heng, proposing that Xiao Heng stay in Great Zhao as his son-in-law.
There is much public speculation that Wan Ning is pregnant. Li Fei informs Hong Xiao Di of the rumor, believing it will tarnish the imperial reputation, and proposes to personally go with the court physician to examine Wan Ning. After learning this, Shen's mother hurriedly goes to the Hanlin Academy to find Shen Yu Rong, and Shen Yu Rong guesses that someone is behind this, telling Shen's mother not to cause trouble.
Li Fei takes advantage of the disappearance of the family of Doctor Zhang, and then summons Doctor Tu to examine Wan Ning. Wan Ning is unwilling to be manipulated, believing the rumors are not true, and sends the others away, threatening Li Fei about the matter of the Virtuous Consort. Li Fei is not afraid, reminding Wan Ning of her own trump card, and Wan Ning, believing Li Fei is on Xue Fang Fei's side, angrily smashes the cup.
Wan Ning is anxious to bring Shen Yu Rong to the Emperor to seek the Emperor's blessing to protect her child. Shen Yu Rong remains calm, reminding Wan Ning not to fall for the trap, as he believes someone is creating trouble behind the scenes, with the intention of making Wan Ning and his affair public, in order to pave the way for the Xue family's criminal case, and hopes to wait until Chengwang has accomplished his ambitions before taking action.
Wan Ning is willing to pay any price to keep the child, and Shen Yu Rong suggests that Wan Ning should marry Li Jin, as he believes only the Li family can match her status and allow her to have a peaceful pregnancy, but Wan Ning is disappointed in him after hearing this. Li Jin does not want to accept Wan Ning, and Li Zhongnan advises him not to offend Chengwang, as Li Jin becoming the son-in-law would benefit the Li family's alliance with Chengwang.
Xue Fang Fei knows that Wan Ning is about to marry into the Li family, and she did not expect to have underestimated Shen Yu Rong's scheming.
Comments(Episode 36)