Episode Summary
The Wei army is annihilated at Baidi Valley, with Wei Zhong and six of his sons dying in battle. Wei Jun sacrifices himself to save Wei Yun. In the capital, Crown Prince Li Huan lies to avoid blame for the defeat. As the Wei family mourns, Chu Yu arrives in a wedding dress, demanding to marry the deceased Wei Jun to fulfill a promise, thus becoming a widow. The episode ends with a new crisis erupting during the family's vigil.
Spoiler Alert
A Total Massacre at Baidi Valley
The episode kicks off right where we left off. The Wei family army is trapped. They fight hard, but they are just completely outnumbered by the Bei Qi forces. It's a slaughter.
One by one, the Wei family sons fall. Wei Zhong, the patriarch, dies for his country. Then Wei Shu goes down. Then Wei Qin, Wei Feng, Wei Ya, and Wei Rong are all killed in action. It's brutal to watch. Soon, only Wei Jun is left fighting on the front line.
Wei Jun's Final Sacrifice
Back at the camp, Wei Yun is supposed to be holding the rear. But things go wrong fast. Spies from Bei Qi sneak in and burn their entire grain supply. Right after that, Wei Yun gets the news. His family is surrounded in Baidi Valley.
He was told to stay put by Wei Jun. He doesn't listen. He takes his soldiers and rushes to help. This was a huge mistake. The Bei Qi army just turns their massive crossbows on him.
Wei Jun sees what's happening. He uses his own body as a shield. He takes every single arrow meant for his younger brother. It's a horrific, heroic death. With his last breath, Wei Jun gives Wei Yun the Wei army's official headband. He tells him to find the spy inside their own Ordnance Department. Then he dies right in front of Wei Yun, who just breaks down.
The Wei army is decimated. Wei Yun has no choice. He orders a full retreat to Tianshou Pass. They have to protect the capital, Huajing, from the next attack.
The Crown Prince Covers His Tracks
Back in the capital, the politics are already starting. Crown Prince Li Huan immediately starts spinning a story. He tells the Emperor that Wei Zhong was reckless. He claims Wei Zhong chased glory and ignored his advice, leading the army into an ambush. It's a complete lie.
Yao Yong backs up the Prince's story. Duke Ning also defends him, saying the Prince is young and inexperienced. So, Emperor Chunde lets it slide. He doesn't punish Li Huan at all. Unbelievable.
A Funeral in the Capital
Chu Yu has a bad feeling all day. Her maid, Wan Yue, bursts in with the news. The Wei army was defeated. The entire family is dead. Seven sons went to war. Only one, the seventh son Wei Yun, is coming home.
The coffins return to Huajing. It's a heavy, somber procession. Wei Yun, still in his blood-soaked battle armor, escorts the bodies of his father and six brothers.
Duke Ning, Wang Jingzhi, wastes no time blaming the victims. He tells the Emperor that the Wei family is responsible for losing 70,000 elite soldiers. The Emperor says the Dali Temple will investigate, but only after the funeral.
The Emperor is clearly worried. First Old General Chu, and now Marquis Wei Zhong. He has no generals left who can stand up to Bei Qi. He even wonders if it's time to negotiate peace.
Chu Yu's Shocking Arrival
The funeral procession reaches the Wei family home. Wei Zhong's widow, Liu Xueyang, and all her daughters-in-law are completely shattered.
Then, something absolutely wild happens. Chu Yu rides up on a horse. She is wearing a bright red wedding dress.
Wei Yun has no idea what's going on. He doesn't know about the promise Chu Yu made to Wei Jun before the battle. But his mother, Liu Xueyang, remembers something. Wei Jun had told her he was going to marry someone when he returned. She puts two and two together and assumes he meant Chu Yu.
A Promise to a Dead Man
Liu Xueyang gently tries to warn her. She tells Chu Yu that if she marries into the Wei family now, she will be a widow.
Chu Yu already knows. Her own mother disowned her for this. She said if Chu Yu walked out of their house today, she was no longer part of the family. But Chu Yu feels she has no other choice.
In front of the entire city, Chu Yu gets off her horse and kneels. She begs Liu Xueyang to let her enter the Wei family. She wants to officially marry the deceased Wei Jun, so she can mourn for him as his wife. She made a promise to him, and she is going to keep it.
Ripples Across the City
Gu Chusheng's Regret
The news about Chu Yu spreads fast. Gu Chusheng hears that she married into the Wei family as a widow. He is clearly distraught. He thinks about his past with her, which now feels like a distant memory.
We also learn his own marriage is a sham. He's married to Wang Linlang, the Duke's daughter, but it's in name only. He gets so worked up thinking about all this that he coughs up blood. The blood splatters onto a painting he's working on, creating an image of a red plum blossom.
Trouble in the Mourning Hall
Chu Linyang sends Wan Yue to the Wei residence to stay with Chu Yu. Chu Yu tells her maid to stay in the room while she goes to the main hall for the vigil.
Inside the mourning hall, the remaining family members are holding a vigil for the dead. Suddenly, a servant runs in. The servant is desperately calling for the "Second Madam." Something is very wrong.
