Episode Summary
Feng Suige's attempt to protect his father is mistaken for a coup, leading to a standoff with Zhuang Shen. The Emperor, Feng Pingcheng, is discovered to be missing, having woken up and left on his own. Feng Pingcheng then confronts his son, revealing his legs are paralyzed and taunting him with the truth of his mother's death. He does this to provoke Feng Suige into killing him and seizing the throne. Fu Yixiao intervenes, calling out the Emperor for his cruel manipulation.
Spoiler Alert
Palace Showdown, Missing Emperor
The episode kicks off with Feng Suige rolling up to the palace with his own soldiers. He’s not playing around. But Zhuang Shen is already there waiting for him. Zhuang Shen has a lot more men, so things look tense right away.
Zhuang Ming tries to pull a fast one. He gets a crossbow and aims it at Feng Suige’s back. It was a pretty cowardly move. Luckily, Fu Yixiao was watching the whole time. He fires his own arrow and hits Zhuang Ming’s arm. It was just a warning shot. Fu Yixiao’s aim is good. He made his point without drawing much blood. The message was clear. Try that again, and the next arrow won't just graze you.
Feng Suige is done talking. He walks right up to Zhuang Shen and punches him in the face. With both sides ready to fight, the whole situation is a powder keg. But before anyone can make the next move, they get some news. The Emperor, Feng Pingcheng, is missing.
A Standoff and a Conspiracy
Feng Suige and Zhuang Shen call a temporary truce. They go into Zichen Hall to investigate. The room is totally clean. There are no signs of a struggle. Eunuch Ma and Ling Feng are also gone. Feng Suige puts it together pretty quickly. The Emperor must have woken up and left on his own.
The confrontation outside ends with a whimper, not a bang. No one was seriously hurt. Feng Suige wasn't actually trying to take the throne, so the Imperial Guard had no real reason to stop him. He leaves the palace with Fu Yixiao and his Qiongqi team.
Later, Zhuang Shen finds Murong Yao. He lays out his plan. If they kill Feng Suige, then Feng Chengyang becomes the only heir to the throne. This would also make Murong Yao the only prince in the entire Su Sha kingdom who isn't from the royal bloodline. Murong Yao, seeing the opportunity, decides he's all in. He agrees to help Zhuang Shen.
Secrets in the Library
Meanwhile, Xia Jingshi tells Feng Xiyang to hide an object in the library. She tells her not to let anyone see her. But Feng Xiyang's husband, Xia Jingyan, is a lot smarter than he lets on. He follows her.
He gets dangerously close to finding the book she just hid. Feng Xiyang has to act fast. She stops him and makes up a story. She claims she was just there to find some books on how to be a good wife. Xia Jingyan seems to accept this and doesn't push it.
Back at Rongyang Hall, Feng Xiyang lies again. She says she didn't see the Emperor at the library. Her lie falls apart almost immediately. Xia Jingyan sends her a gift of Su Sha food. The messenger, Bai Shouzhuo, says something that proves Feng Xiyang wasn't telling the truth. Xia Jingyan knows she was lying.
The Emperor's Twisted Game
Feng Suige is searching everywhere for his father. Suddenly, Ling Feng appears. He leads Feng Suige directly to Feng Pingcheng. You would think the Emperor would be happy to see him. Feng Suige literally brought an armed guard to the palace to protect him.
But you would be wrong. Feng Pingcheng is furious. He scolds Feng Suige for his actions. He says that as his son, Feng Suige should have the ambition to take the throne for himself. He doesn't want a son who just follows orders. He wants an heir who would do anything to become the supreme ruler.
Feng Suige tells him he doesn't even want the kingdom. Then we learn a shocking detail. Since waking up, the Emperor’s legs have been paralyzed. For a second, Feng Suige looks like he feels sorry for him. He starts to turn back.
That's when his father decides to be cruel. He brings up the truth about how Feng Suige's mother died. She founded the Fengyu Alliance and helped him build his empire. But she was never subservient to him. She was an independent woman who never treated him like a king.
Feng Pingcheng is intentionally trying to provoke his son. He wants Feng Suige to hate him enough to kill him and take the throne. Fu Yixiao runs in and tells Feng Suige to calm down.
The Emperor just doubles down. He admits that for years, he has been deliberately trying to mold Feng Suige into a ruthless, heartless person. That's the last straw for Fu Yixiao. He grabs Feng Suige's sword and holds it to the Emperor's neck. He tells Feng Pingcheng that he doesn't deserve to be a father. He says he claims to do everything for his son, but all he actually does is hurt him.
Fu Yixiao ends it with a perfect point. You always talk about family and country. But family is supposed to come first. If you're willing to destroy your own family, what's the point of the country?
