Episode 23 recap: Love and hate.
The ministers were all barred from entering, feeling that such an important ritual should not be kept from them, suspecting foul play. The ministers were all clamoring to see Mu Xuan Jue, but now all the power was in the Empress Dowager's hands. She would not let Mu Xuan Jue die at her own hands, as that would bring her a bad reputation, so the best way was to have Mu Xuan Jue be mocked by all as someone obsessed with beauty.
At this time, Mu Xuan Jue and Ling Zhi were still writing with cold arrows, each placing a lock of their own hair. They performed the ritual together, and Mu Xuan Jue remarked that the Empress Dowager must already have victory in her sights. While they were talking, Ling Zhi suddenly drew his sword against Mu Xuan Jue, but Ling Zhi was no match for Mu Xuan Jue, who quickly disarmed him.
Mu Xuan Jue warned Ling Zhi not to bring the palace intrigues upon himself, as they were useless to him. Bing Jian, knowing Ling Zhi was threatened, used magic to injure Mu Xuan Jue, whose blood splattered on Ling Zhi's face. Mu Xuan Jue gently touched Ling Zhi's face before collapsing into his arms.
The soldiers outside heard everything. Knowing Mu Xuan Jue was eliminated, the Empress Dowager sent people in to remove his body. She was pleased to see Ling Zhi emerge, and prepared to decree that Mu Xuan Jue had unfortunately died due to his obsession with beauty.
But Ling Zhi asked her to hold off, claiming he had protected the Empress. Then Mu Xuan Jue emerged, revealing it had all been a planned performance to make the Empress Dowager think they had turned on each other out of love. Bing Jian had killed all the Empress Dowager's guards, and Mu Xuan Jue was unharmed.
Realizing she had been the fool, the furious Empress Dowager sought to eliminate all evidence, planning to kill everyone. But her own trusted aides had been switched out, leaving her powerless. The ministers united to impeach the Empress Dowager, who could only swallow her anger in defeat. Her machinations had only made her into a laughingstock, as Mu Xuan Jue knew she had let the Illusion Clan impersonate Ling Zhi to kill his own mother and provoke a war with the Spirit Clan, which Mu Xuan Jue had spared.
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