Episode Summary
In Episode 16 of "Qingchuan's Veil of Vengeance," the relationship between Xia Qiguang and Mo Qingchuan is tested when he discovers her plan to assassinate the Empress Dowager. Believing she is simply leaving him, Xia Qiguang is devastated to find a memorial tablet she prepared for herself, revealing her true intention is a suicide mission. Meanwhile, the cunning Empress Dowager, aware of a spy in her midst, sets a trap. The episode culminates in a tense confrontation at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau where the assassination attempt is thwarted. Xia Qiguang intervenes with his own troops and the young Emperor, demanding the Empress Dowager abdicate, leading to a high-stakes political and familial standoff.
Spoiler Alert
Qingchuan's Veil of Vengeance, Episode 16: A Tearful Betrayal and a Desperate Gambit
This Episode , the intricate web of love, duty, and vengeance tightens around our heroes, culminating in a heart-wrenching confrontation and a political power play that leaves the kingdom's fate hanging by a thread. The emotional core of the episode rests on the profound, yet fractured, bond between Xia Qiguang and his master, Mo Qingchuan, while the Empress Dowager proves she is a formidable opponent who is always one step ahead.
Recap: A Toast to the Past, A Plot for the Future
The episode opens with Xia Qiguang in the military barracks, where he discusses a secret operation with his confidant, Wuyou. The key detail: Mo Qingchuan is to be kept in the dark, a decision made ostensibly to protect the mission's integrity and, perhaps, Mo Qingchuan herself.
Later, a much-anticipated meeting takes place. At Mo Qingchuan's request, Xia Qiguang joins her for a night of wine and reminiscence. The conversation quickly turns deeply personal. When asked what moment in time he would return to, Xia Qiguang confesses it would be the day he first saw her ride into the city twelve years ago, a striking figure whose image has been etched into his memory ever since. Mo Qingchuan, in a rare moment of vulnerability, admits she noticed him too—a boy in the crowd with eyes as bright as stars. She praises the man he has become, a "hero forged by the times," and implores him to safeguard their nation. But for Xia Qiguang, titles mean nothing; her happiness is the only cause he truly cares for.
The tender moment is shattered when her apprentice, Jiang Kui, enters with Mo Qingchuan's packed luggage. Xia Qiguang mistakenly believes they are preparing to leave, perhaps for a new life far away. He tries to confess his feelings, but Mo Qingchuan cuts him off. As he leaves, a cryptic comment from Jiang Kui—that it is a form of happiness for her master to achieve her ultimate goal—plants a seed of doubt. In truth, their departure is a ruse. Mo Qingchuan and Jiang Kui are planning a suicide mission to assassinate the Empress Dowager, and the deception is meant to shield Xia Qiguang from being branded a traitor's accomplice.
Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager is weaving her own trap in the palace. She is fully aware that her attendant, Su Qi, is a spy planted by Feng Shiye. Rather than exposing her, the Empress Dowager plays along, using Su Qi as a pawn to uncover the larger plot. She instructs her brother, the loyal Cao Huaitai, to fortify the palace, anticipating that Su Qi will soon lead her to an "unexpected harvest."
Spoilers: A Devastating Discovery and a Royal Standoff
Devastated but wanting to wish her well, Xia Qiguang buys a pair of boots as a farewell gift for Mo Qingchuan. When he arrives at her residence to deliver them, he finds it empty. His world comes crashing down when he discovers two items she left behind: a formal reply to an invitation from the Empress Dowager and a memorial tablet—one prepared for Mo Qingchuan herself. He finally understands the truth: she isn't leaving; she's going to her death.
When Mo Qingchuan and Jiang Kui return, they are met by a shattered Xia Qiguang. For the first time, he calls her by her full name, "Mo Qingchuan," his eyes filled with tears. In a raw, emotional outburst, he tells her he could accept her leaving him, he could even accept never being her destination in life, but he cannot accept this lie. He falls to his knees, clinging to her and begging her not to die.
His pleas are in vain. Mo Qingchuan tells him that in two hours, she will be a traitor to the State of Xia, revealing that her alias, Mo Wang, was a constant reminder to "never forget" her quest for vengeance.Ignoring his desperation, she and Jiang Kui head towards the palace. A signal flare is fired, alerting Su Qi, who promptly arranges for the Empress Dowager to be moved to the secluded Imperial Astronomical Bureau (Qintianjian).
The assassination attempt begins as planned. Jiang Kui, disguised as an attendant, draws her sword on the Empress Dowager. But the trap is immediately sprung as Cao Huaitai and his guards surround them. Just as he is about to execute Jiang Kui, Xia Qiguang arrives with his own troops, turning the ambush into a tense standoff.
In a shocking power move, Xia Qiguang demands that the Empress Dowager abdicate and return the Tiger Tally—the symbol of military authority—to the Emperor. The young, timid Emperor Xia Qiye, who arrived with Xia Qiguang, is thrust into the center of the conflict. Cao Huaitai openly defies the Emperor, declaring his unwavering loyalty is to his sister alone. Goaded by Xia Qiguang, the Emperor musters the courage to demand the Tally himself.
The Empress Dowager, unfazed, scoffs at her son, calling him a coward who would dare to kill his own mother. In a final, manipulative twist, she sows discord between the allies, suggesting that while she might one day support Xia Qiguang's ascension to the throne, history will forever remember Emperor Xia Qiye as a ruler who committed matricide. The episode ends there, with the conflict unresolved and alliances on the verge of collapse.
