The Princess's Gambit Episode 25

The lonely king

The third prince is moving rapidly to impress his empress. He started a rumor for 4th Prince that 2nd Prince compromised exam. 4th Prince angrily accuses him and we do not see what happens after. The Meng pendant is missing a piece that is found in tavern. It just happens to be at the site second Prince was murdered. I am not sure how Meng scholar has it but I don’t see him having the courage to kill anybody. He was most likely at the scene to buy answers and ran away from the crime.😝 Third prince is too adamant about 4th prince’s guilt rather than finding culprit. He has the emperor done in with poison and now both other brothers neatly out of the way and Meng family reinstated. He has himself and minister Meng in charge of exams working directly with our chancellor. There is no way the 4th prince has the strength or wherewithal to kill anybody, much less his brother. The emperor can’t think straight and Qin family being noisy. He dismisses them all but agrees that harsh and swift punishment must follow for murderer of second prince. He laments to consort about his title as lonely king and seeing it play out in the loss of his sons. The viper strike was well done and well placed. The chancellor has a better idea of what happened but knows things are precarious for 4th Prince and whoever helps him. The princess has nicely given the piece of jade clue so he knows it belongs to Meng pendent. Ms Meng is veering on believing fratricide, but which brother does she really think caused it? The 4th prince found himself being patron of the common scholars, both by default and principle. This will work against him for now, but hopefully become the foundation for future realm. But first, the chancellor has to clear him and it will not be easy. I rolled my eyes and was close to nauseous at third brother’s empress fantasies at the end. All of these brothers are just…..ew. The 4th brother is decent but comes off as a righteous stick in the mud. His ideals are not backed with armed strength and both are needed to rule. This is where he comes up short. He needs someone shrewd both with intellect and military strategy and this is where our chancellor fits the bill. How to establish this and disrupt the corruption and poison antidote extortion will be biggest obstacles. Ms Meng has tossed her ring in with third prince, but really had no other option. Her father’s enterprises doomed her from the start. She is the best of the Mengs with her brother gone. She will hopefully find a new course for them. She is a bit behind with intel but catching up fast. She and chancellor could have been a formidable pair. Too bad her family was always in the way.

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