The Empress of China Episode 33

ep 33 review spoilers ahead

Summary, Spoilers ahead!

33/96!

1.Meniang and Rui'an continue to reflect on the rebellion, focusing on the miscommunication that led to the rebellion. They need to find out how the prince learned about the crepe on the coffin. Under Meniang's guidance, Rui'an retraces his steps the day he delivered the box and he relates to her that he remembers Wenniang (dead girl) briefly distracted her. He can't believe that she would betray them. Meniang believes she may have been ordered to do this (logically, the person who would do this is Xui Hui. But she is convinced that Xu Hui is innocent, nevermind that others have betrayed her. This is a bit odd)

2.In the next scene, she and Zhinu are sitting in the Imperial Library (he is not allowed to be in there so this is covert). She is helping him as he has decided to compete for the crown prince title because. She receives some of the things that the emperor is working on; she encourages him to use them as guides and to study military tactics and reports related to So Louhoun (the leader of the northern rebels). He is impatient and wants to prove himself but she encourages him to be patient and take the time to study and prepare himself. (It should be noted that present Meniang as someone merely tying to reduce the family conflict and stabilize everything/and because she loves the emperor but history would explain her closeness with Zhinu as an opportunity for an affair in order to stabilize her own power base not to mention he is significantly younger thus probably more...er, virile and exciting than an old person....personally I don't care either way)

3.Part of her goal in working with Prince Zhinu is to investigate all the people who helped trick the crown prince and institute the rebellion. Of course she knows Prince Wei is involved, but there are others. Gathering evidence could help derail Prince Wei's plans.

4.Meanwhile, the emperor receives a background check on Meniang. He wants to learn more about the man who saved her, as he is suspicious because it was too convenient that he arrived. He quickly discerns that Li Gu (Li Mu's fake name) is a fake because his background is 'too perfect'. Immedaitely after, Xu Hui shows up with a diary that she says is owned by Meniang and showcases an intense infatuation with Li Mu (even a portrait). (the emperor is not a moron. i don't think he trusts her at all. he doesn't trust anyone). She tells some truths (that Meniang knew Li Mu from childhood/loves him) but embellishes it with lies. She even states she tried to dissuade her but is concerned about her well being and the emperor's happiness. When the emperor asks why she is showing him this she states its because she wants him to be happy and Meniang to be safe (uh-huh).

5.Elswehere, Prince Wei learns that Meniang is tutoring Meniang and trying to prepare him to address his father. Prince Wei is confident that he is going to be crown prince, and believes it will be announced soon because his father cannot go to war without someone in the eastern palace (to look after the kingdom while he is fighting). He smugly says he will let them continue to play.

6.At morning court, Ministers encourage the war and argue against it. The emperor asks his sons what they think. Prince Wei believes they should postpone it because of So Lohoun's military expertise. Prince Wu believes that with good soldiers, they should be fine. the emperor wonders what he should do since one postpones it, one wants to go. Zhinu arrives and surprises everyone. Prince Wu tells him to not worry (it makes him look bad but Zhinu does not take the bait). The emperor is both surprised and pleased that he bravely arrived.

7.Zhinu's suggestion surprises everyone. He presents a clear analysis: He states that Louhoun is a poor ruler and his state will likely collapse. However, he cannot be ignored because his military skill means he can be a threat. He believes that they should not postpone because of this. However, he disagrees with Prince Wu and believes that a big expedition would be dangerous: they would need to consider the weather and distance; it would require a lot of provisions. he suggests that the neighboring states could provide them, since they detest louhoun, and this is confirmed by ministers. However the states cannot be trusted because they probably want to see Tang collapse. So they are not reliable. thus, the best option would be to plan for many small expeditions, over ten years. This way they can completely annihilate the rebels.

8.Everyone is impressed. However, the emperor admits that he may not live that long and expresses a desire to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later. Still he is impressed. His brothers immediately leave once it is dismissed, and the ministers discuss what happened. Zhinu is emboldened and feels confident.

9.Elsewhere, Meniang is with Xu Hui, pushing Xiao Q. on a swing. (I wonder if Xiao Q is pretending to be mentally ill) Xiu Hui explains that she doesn't understand why Xiao Q is so nice because Xiao Q is 1)crazy and 2)would have hurt her but Menaing explains that Xiao Q helped her by rooting out Consort Wei. Xu Hui asks many questions (fishing) about what she will do with Li Mu (she tells her about her conversation with Yang) and tries to understand why she is supporting Zhinu. In an interesting scene, Meniang asks her who she believes might be responsible for betraying them because she suspects a mole: Xui Hui blames Chenji, and she agrees with her but Menaing revals in a monologue that there is no way that it could be Chenji (is she beginning to doubt Xu Hui??) Meniang asks how he could have betrayed the general, and Xu Hui says people are like furniture and eventually rot (!) and Meniang reports that anyone can go bad.

--she later is pushed on the swing by Xiao Q and Menieng continues to repress her uneasy concern that Xu Hui is responsible and believes that she couldn't do it...

10.Afterwards, he relates to Meniang what happened. She asks him if he was close to the throne, and he says he was very close. She tells him the closer he is to the throne, the more the ministers will look at him but the more distance there will be between him and his brothers. She wants him to know he can turn back, because it is a lonely road. But he does not want to give up. He is confident he can protect her and have his brothers live a peaceful life (so naive).


11..Zhinu sees Li Mu walking by the library and has consistently noticed that he looks at her. After Meniang is summoned by the emperor, he corners Li Gu who insists that he is not interested in Meniang. Zhinu challenges him because he does not believe him, and Li Gu wraps his arms around his neck!

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