Pasted from a previous comment, this is the whole backstory.
Wei Yan loved Consort Shu (bestfriend of his sister - ML's mother). However, she was claimed by the emperor as a concubine. Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them. But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor. Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince. Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital. Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team. Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat. He placed the fault for not getting the supplies on Wu Qilin (FL's dad) because he didn't want people to know he did not complete his mission and delegated some else (which he shouldn't have done). He couldn't blame Prince Changxin because he was the one who defeated the enemy after the massacre and it would have lead to an investigation, and Wei Yan didn't want that to happen.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating. And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.
This is the whole backstory, I wrote the comment a few hours ago and I'm just pasting it here.
The old emperor was his maternal uncle and they plotted together the demise of crown prince chengde. When the old emperor was deposed, he lost favour with the new one (since he was controlled by wei yan).
At the start of the drama, prince changxin had rebelled and wanted to become emperor himself. He did not have a righteous claim to the throne, as his mother was from the royal family, but a military coup is a military coup.
the tragedy begins with the late emperor’s secret political scheme during the battle of Jizahou: he ordered…
Wei Yan loved Consort Shu (bestfriend of his sister - ML's mother). However, she was claimed by the emperor as a concubine. Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them. But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor. Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince. Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital. Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team. Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating. And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.
This is the whole backstory, I wrote the comment a few hours ago and I'm just pasting it here.
No, she found the letter from Consort Shu and knew her brother came back to the capital, derelicting his duty to bring supplies and ask for reinforcements. Hence the crown prince, her husband and 100k soldiers died in the massacre. He was the one sent by the emperor to do it, but lied after the coup.
He didn't have any support from the ministers either. He would have been deposed asap.
Unfortunately he was kept on a short leash and not let to grow, evolve and become an independent person.
Grand Tutor Li had Qi Min lined up from the start. So there was always a plot to change the ruler. Even if the current emperor aligns with Grand Tutor Li, Qi Min would then contact other ministers to make his way to the throne.
This is the whole backstory, I wrote the comment a few hours ago and I'm just pasting it here.
Wei Yan loved Consort Shu (bestfriend of his sister - ML's mother). However, she was claimed by the emperor as a concubine. Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them. But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor. Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince. Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital. Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team. Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating. And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.
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Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them.
But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor.
Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince.
Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital.
Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team.
Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat. He placed the fault for not getting the supplies on Wu Qilin (FL's dad) because he didn't want people to know he did not complete his mission and delegated some else (which he shouldn't have done). He couldn't blame Prince Changxin because he was the one who defeated the enemy after the massacre and it would have lead to an investigation, and Wei Yan didn't want that to happen.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating.
And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.
At the start of the drama, prince changxin had rebelled and wanted to become emperor himself. He did not have a righteous claim to the throne, as his mother was from the royal family, but a military coup is a military coup.
Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them.
But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor.
Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince.
Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital.
Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team.
Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating.
And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.
Grand Tutor Li had Qi Min lined up from the start. So there was always a plot to change the ruler. Even if the current emperor aligns with Grand Tutor Li, Qi Min would then contact other ministers to make his way to the throne.
Never wanting to marry, Wei Yan married a subordinate's (died in battle) wife who was then pregnant and claimed the son as his own (Wei Xuan).
17 years ago, Crown Prince Chengde gathered his most trusted allies - Xie Linshan (ML's dad), Wei Yan, Grand Tutor Li and Grand tutor Tu (who was defense adviser that time and designed tiger amulets). While partying, Wei Yan drunkingly made a reckless remark that the emperor should just abdicate the throne being old and senile and stop complicate things. That was hushed by Crown prince saying he was just venting his frustrations to his friends. General He and Wei (FL's dad) was outside the place then, guarding them.
But Tutor Li betrayed them by mentioning Wei Yan's remark to the emperor.
Angered, the emperor had a meeting with Changxin, who was promised a lot of things and power in exchange for denying provisions to the Crown Prince. Emperor know already about the tiger talisman and said Changxin should say it's a fake and not send any food and medical supplies to the crown prince.
Tutor Li was there then, but he did not expected that move from the emperor ( Li was supporting Chengde too but he did not expect the emperor to sabotage his own son)
Emperor trapped Wei Yan first (with the palace maid) but Wei Yan was able to escape. But the second time, the Emperor used Consort Shu. Emperor ordered the palace doctor to say the Shu was 2 months pregnant right after she entered the palace. Emperor forged a letter to Wei Yan (allegedly from Shu) asking for help and asking him to return to the capital.
Wei Yan then was tasked by the Crown Prince Chengde to look for food and supplies. He was supposed to be in Jinzho with the crown prince team.
Wei Yan panicked and tried to save Shu. Without orders, Wei Yan went back to the capital, but ordered General Wei ( Chang Yu"s father) to ask Changxin for help for the supplies and food for the crown prince team.
Changxin, colluding with the emperor, denied help. Saying the tiger charm was fake. In history books, it was said Wei Qilin instead of going to Changxin, escaped and lead to the lack of supplies on Jinzhou. That's why he was regarded as traitor.
Supplies never arrived in crown prince Chengde's camp. Hungry and weak, their entire army suffered defeat from enemies. The crown prince, with Xie Linshan (ML's dad) and other key figures were hanged on the wall.
Wei Yan, then at the capital and unaware of what happened at Jinzhou, tried to rescue Consort Shu. But the emperor already set the place on fire (saying Shu's pregnancy made the emperor angry). And Consort Shu made the choice to burn herself inside the palace. Shu pushed Wei Yan out and locked herself inside. Later it was found that Shu is not pregnant. Imperial doctor hanged himself.
Chengde's defeat is the empire's shame. Chengde's wife burned her palace and made it appear that the crown prince's son ( Qi Min) also died there. But we all know crown princess burned Qi Min's face to make him appear as Sui Quianjing ( Changxin's older son) and make him survive the fire.
Wei Yan discovered everything and made the emperor abdicate. He also killed everyone who knows about the Jinzhou incident. Placed the worthless emperor there to control the empire so the Jinzhou incident will not repeat.
Qilin became a rogue because his wife is pregnant. Marked as a traitor, he paid an old man (Fan) to claim his elder son's identity. Became a butcher Lin'an. When he realized Wei Yan is still hunting them and has found them, he committed suicide with his wife and asked General He to look after his 2 daughters. Sealing the Jinzhou incident by his death.
Wei Yan lived with his sister and nephew. When his sister found out about her husband's death and brother's involvement, she committed suicide. Wei Yan raised ML.
Grand Tutor Li wants to break uncle nephew bond. Made the ML think Jinzhou incident was not what it seems. ML starts investigating.
And the rest is what is in episode 1 of the series.