The Empress of China Episode 36

episode 36 review spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead--Naming of Crown Prince--
WOW a lot happens in this episode.

1. Meniang strolls with Xu Hui and in her short conversation her she 1)Thanks her for saving her life 2)Begs her forgiveness for suspecting her of colluding with the Prince of Wei (yes, she tells her this) and 3)Explains that she trusts her now, more than ever (this just about made Xu Hui's day)

2.Meanwhile, Li Mu goes through Menaing's bag of belongings that she will take when she leaves, at the urging of the maid serving Consort Yang, and discovers that in the belongs is a box, and in that box is a wilted flower (guess who have that to her? uh-huh). He breaks down in tears.

3.Elsewhere, Prince Wei visits his father and directly confronts him over the issue of who will become crown prince. His father asks him to recommend a candidate. Wei bites the bullet and tells him that he should be emperor because 1)He is a skilled strategist 2)he knows a great deal about the kingdom because of his work on Geography of the land 3)He wishes to see the legacy of Tang endure and wants to expand their territory 4)He makes a blood oath, insisting that he will not harm his brothers and will kill his own sons and make the prince of Jin his crown prince. The emperor applauds his honesty and explains to him that the courtiers believe he is narrow minded and would kill anyone who goes against him but today he disproved that. However, he tells him not to kill his children as they are his grandchildren. He dismisses him and tells him he will send him a message (it strongly implies he will be named crown prince). Prince Wei leaves, and we learn he essentially read his father and told him all the things he believed he wanted to hear.

4.Wang De summons the chancellors, and the Emperor explains to them his conversation with Prince Wei, including the blood oath he made. He asks them their advice. The chancellors are shocked, and explain there has never been a precedent of an emperor killing his own children in order to make a brother his crown prince. Another states that whoever made this statement is either a lunatic or a treacherous hypocrite. They all believe he should not be made crown prince (keep in mind, they are also thinking that if this guy could so readily kill his sons for power, what's stopping him from killing nobles who challenge him?)

5.Prince Jin is made the crown prince. Elsewhere, Prince Wei excitedly awaits the edict sent to him by his father and is shocked to learn that it is a command to stay away from the morning assembly for a month to rest. He knows that this means his little brother was crowned prince. Wei is so shocked he cries and then faints.

6. Elsewhere, Consort Yang's personal attendant congratulates Zhinu and she listens to him excitedly explain that now his brother are safe. The attendant passes on a message: she believes that he should directly visit the prince of wei and warn him to stop pursuing the throne because courtiers are planning to impeach him with evidence that he essentially instigated the previous crown prince's rebellion (there is nothing to confirm this, other than her word). Zhinu readily decides to visit his brother (if he knew his brother he would know that this kind of information would trigger him to do something stupid because the fate awaiting him is permanent exile).

7.Meanwhile, Meniang meets with Consort Yang and confirms that she will still leave with Li Mu and wishes her luck. We go to Li Mu who has a guard of Yang's people suddenly in his room, assuring him that they are there to ensure that the two get away safely (yea right! they will probably murder them once they are outside of the city!) Li Mu, not being an idiot, chooses to kill them all.

8.Meanwhile, Prince Wei shows he has truly snapped and decides to kill his sons in order to prove to his father that he is indeed a man of his word (he believes that his father chose to give the crown to another because he did not believe him. not because he thought he was too ruthless.) He grabs his sword and nearly kills his sons however Zhinu arrives and yells at him, calling him crazy. He tells him he came to warn him about the impending impeachment and urges him to kneel before their father and ask for forgiveness to avoid the fate of their older brother. He also reveals he only wanted to be crown prince to protect his brothers. This makes Wei laugh, as he truly cannot believe he lost to this kind of weak person. He takes Zhinu hostage and plans to drag him to his father, have Zhinu confess his reasons for wanting the crown, in order that the emperor will see who is better suited for the throne. (Yes, he has lost it. and also, I am more than certain this is not historically accurate. but it is very interesting)

9. Meanwhile, Consort Yang summons her son and explains to him that Prince Wei has basically lost his mind over this and is essentially staging an insurrection. Her son wants to intervene but she forbids it. She takes out a relic of the Sui dynasty and orders him to give it to the head of the royal guard. Once he sees it, he will follow any order that he has. She explains that with the royal guard he can both Wei (for treason) the crown prince (make it look like Zhinu did it) and then go to the emperor with Wei's head. He will be the hero, and the emperor will have no choice but to make him crown prince. Wu is shocked because she is insisting he rebel. His mother tells him that now is his chance, she knows he wants to be crown prince, and she has swallowed her pride for years for this moment. She also encourages him to kill the emperor if he refuses and blame it on Wei (ambitious). (In her defense, it is highly unlikely that she or her son will survive whoever becomes the next king.)

--So stuff got REAL--

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