Episode Summary
Defeated Prime Minister Yue Chi, whose family is hostage to the old King Ning, strategically loses a battle to the new Emperor Huo Jingheng. To protect his sister Yue Ling'er, who has been summoned to be a consort, Yue Chi disguises himself as her and enters the palace. He navigates initial challenges, including confinement to Fengluan Palace and the suspicions of Consort Hui. After learning Emperor Huo Jingheng has good intentions towards his sister and is a diligent ruler, and with Ling'er herself aspiring to the position, Yue Chi decides to help her become the Empress, starting by gifting the Emperor prized weapons from his collection, which the Emperor surprisingly keeps. Meanwhile, Consort Hui, whose family suffered because of Yue Chi, plots revenge.
Spoiler Alert
"A Prime Minister's Disguise" Episode 1 Recap & Spoilers: A Daring Deception
The episode opens on a battlefield where Huo Jingheng, former leader of the rebel army and now the new Emperor, confronts the forces of Prime Minister Yue Chi. It's revealed that Prime Minister Yue had initially set an ambush for Huo Jingheng. Despite this, Huo Jingheng holds a deep admiration for Yue Chi, recognizing him as a brilliant statesman. He offers Yue Chi a position as Prime Minister in the new Da Ning dynasty if he surrenders. However, Prime Minister Yue Chi, though King Ning was a despotic ruler, has compelling reasons to keep fighting and refuses to yield; his family has been taken hostage by the old King Ning. Yue Chi strategically seeks defeat on the battlefield. The public is led to believe that Yue Chi died in combat and has been posthumously honored as King Anle by the new Emperor. Meanwhile, Yue Chi's younger sister, Yue Ling'er, is summoned to the palace to become Consort Yue and attend to the Emperor.
Yue Ling'er is surprisingly open to entering the palace. She's heard the new Emperor, Huo Jingheng, is handsome and well-built, and she has a weakness for good looks. While aware of the treacherous court politics, she also hopes that as a consort, she can offer some protection to the Yue family. However, her brother, Yue Chi, is deeply concerned that Ling'er will be bullied and mistreated. In a bold move, he decides to disguise himself as his sister and enter the palace in her place, planning to switch back once he's certain of her safety.
Yue Chi's journey to the palace as "Consort Yue" is anything but dignified. He arrives in a rickety sedan chair, feeling nauseous from the bumpy ride. Upon arrival at Fengluan Palace, he finds only a single maidservant, Xiao Yue, assigned to him. Incensed by this perceived slight to his sister's status and the cold reception, Yue Chi resolves to confront Emperor Huo Jingheng. Xiao Yue, however, stops him, informing him that per the Emperor's orders, "Consort Yue" is forbidden from leaving Fengluan Palace. To make matters worse, he's tasked with memorizing twelve volumes of palace regulations – a daunting pile of books that leaves him utterly exasperated. Realizing he'll never get through the reading, Yue Chi starts scheming to make the Emperor come to him instead.
Soon after, the influential Consort Hui arrives at Fengluan Palace with her entourage of other consorts. The Emperor has a reputation for being uninterested in women, so his sudden decision to take Yue Ling'er as a consort has made Consort Hui wary. Fearing that this new consort might win the Emperor's favor and undermine her own standing, Consort Hui plans to give "Consort Yue" a hard time. However, just as she begins her interrogation, the Emperor himself makes an unexpected appearance. True to his reputation, Huo Jingheng shows no particular interest in "Consort Yue's" appearance and, completely unsuspecting of the disguise, stays only briefly. Before departing, he instructs Consort Hui and the others to show "Consort Yue" around the palace grounds.
Later that evening, Yue Chi receives a message via carrier pigeon from the real Yue Ling'er, who is worried about her brother's well-being in the palace. She knows he suffered a defeat at the Emperor's hands and is now enduring this indignity for her sake. Fueled by this, Yue Chi then vows to gain influence over the Emperor and, one day, to become the Empress himself. He begins to secretly observe Emperor Huo Jingheng and discovers that he is, in fact, a diligent ruler, dedicated to state affairs. Yue Chi then overhears a conversation between the Emperor and a guard, revealing that Huo Jingheng has been discreetly trying to protect Yue Ling'er for years. Knowing her difficult position as an orphan of the previous dynasty, he brought her to the palace to ensure her safety and well-being. Hearing this, Yue Chi finds himself unexpectedly touched.
Returning to Fengluan Palace, Yue Chi intends to write to Ling'er, only to find her already there, disguised as a maidservant. Ling'er explains that as a servant from the Yue estate, it's plausible for her to visit her "mistress." Despite the excuse, Yue Chi is anxious about the risk of discovery. He reassures Ling'er that Emperor Huo Jingheng seems relatively trustworthy. Ling'er, in turn, boldly declares her ambition to become the Empress. Moved by his sister's resolve, Yue Chi decides to help her achieve this goal.
Knowing the Emperor's fondness for weaponry and novelties, Yue Chi "bribes" a eunuch to present a finely crafted dagger to Huo Jingheng. The bait works perfectly. The Emperor, intrigued, visits Fengluan Palace immediately. For several days, Huo Jingheng becomes completely engrossed as Yue Chi "shares" (introduces him to) various rare weapons from his personal, treasured collection. To Yue Chi's dismay, the Emperor is so taken with these items that he accepts them all. Yue Chi is inwardly devastated; he was merely being polite and showing off his collection, never expecting Huo Jingheng to actually keep them.
Meanwhile, a separate threat looms: Consort Hui's father and brother were killed in battle years ago due to Yue Chi's actions on the battlefield. The Yue family are her sworn enemies, and before her ancestral tablets, Consort Hui vows to exact her revenge.
