Episode Summary
In Episode 14 of "A Prime Minister's Disguise," Yi Qingyun's offer to make Yue Chi a Prince Regent sparks Huo Jingheng's jealousy. A crisis erupts when General Gu uses forbidden army grain to save the starving citizens of Qi City, an act secretly orchestrated by Yi Qingyun. While Huo Jingheng wishes to pardon the compassionate general, the court demands his execution. Yue Chi shockingly sides with the court, leading to a severe conflict with the Emperor. The standoff culminates at the city gate where, to resolve the political impasse, Yue Chi publicly kills General Gu with an arrow, claiming it was the Emperor's order and leaving Huo Jingheng utterly devastated.
Spoiler Alert
A Prime Minister's Disguise: Episode 14 Recap — A Choice of No Return
The episode opens on a tense, private meeting between Yue Chi and the ambitious Yi Qingyun. Wasting no time, Yi Qingyun makes a bold proposition: he wants Yue Chi to serve as the Prince Regent for the state of Li once he takes power. Yue Chi flatly refuses, but Yi Qingyun presses on, vowing that his first act as ruler will be to issue an imperial edict guaranteeing Yue Chi's absolute safety for life.
Unbeknownst to them, Emperor Huo Jingheng has been watching from the shadows. When Yi Qingyun leaves, Huo Jingheng confronts Yue Chi, his jealousy and anger simmering. He cuts off any attempt at an explanation, demanding only that Yue Chi drink with him. Left with no other choice, Yue Chi complies.
After a night of heavy drinking, Yue Chi helps the intoxicated Emperor back to his own residence to recover. The next morning, a sober Huo Jingheng plans to eat before returning to the palace, but his intentions sour when he steps out of his room. He sees Yue Chi sharing a lighthearted moment with Xiao Shuo and Jiang Yunqing, the three of them laughing together like a family. Struck by a pang of loneliness and jealousy, Huo Jingheng feels like an intruder. His appetite gone, he turns and leaves for the palace without a word.
Meanwhile, a serious crisis is brewing in Qi City. A disaster has left the population starving, and the relief grain dispatched to General Gu has been mysteriously intercepted. The mastermind behind the sabotage is Yi Qingyun, who used the "Man Wang" (Barbarian King) to ensure the shipment never arrived. Facing a desperate populace, General Gu makes the momentous decision to distribute the army's own grain reserves—an act strictly forbidden by law.
The court is in an uproar. Minister after minister insists that Huo Jingheng must punish General Gu for this severe breach of military protocol. Huo Jingheng, however, knows the general acted out of compassion and is reluctant to condemn him. Throughout the heated debate, Yue Chi remains silent, refusing to join the chorus demanding punishment.
Later, Yue Chi seeks a private audience with the Emperor, only to deliver shocking news: he has already ordered General Gu's arrest. Huo Jingheng is incensed, unable to believe that Yue Chi, his most trusted confidant, would fail to understand his position. The rift between them widens when Yue Chi coldly argues that General Gu must be executed as an example to all. Huo Jingheng pleads with him to show mercy, just this once, but Yue Chi remains unyielding. Furious, the Emperor orders his prime minister to kneel in the courtyard.
Yue Chi kneels in the pouring rain for hours, refusing to change his mind. He is eventually convinced to rise by Eunuch Gui. He returns home to another crisis: Jiang Yunqing has vanished. He finds her collapsed in a Buddhist hall, but her weakness is a performance. She is intentionally delaying Yue Chi, buying precious time for Yi Qingyun's machinations to fall into place.
As word spreads of the Emperor's intent to pardon General Gu, the court ministers gather en masse to prevent it, physically blocking Huo Jingheng's path. After ensuring Jiang Yunqing is safe at home, Yue Chi races to the city gate. From a distance, he watches the tense standoff. As the ministers close in on the Emperor, he silently raises his bow and arrow.
At that moment, General Gu, seeing the impossible situation his Emperor is in, loudly begs to be punished according to the law. He declares that he knew the consequences of his actions and was prepared to die to save the people.
In a breathtaking and horrific climax, Yue Chi releases his arrow. It flies true, striking General Gu and killing him instantly. As the crowd gasps, Yue Chi steps forward and kneels before the stunned Emperor. He announces that he has carried out the Emperor's will, eliminating the source of the conflict. With General Gu dead, the ministers' protest dissolves, and they quietly disperse. Shattered by the loss of his loyal general and the betrayal of his closest friend, a grief-stricken Huo Jingheng lifts General Gu's body into his arms and carries him away.
