Legend of Zhen Huan recap episode 10 甄嬛传 甄環傳 第10集
We open with Liuzhu feeding fishes in a huge pot in Suiyu Xuan's courtyard. Zhen looks on and is chatting with her. Neiwufu is now sending the best of items to here as the emperor loves her the best currently. Also, Doctor Wen has been instructed to give Zhen tonics everyday. Yu has also been cursing at Zhen everyday. Zhen dismisses it and does not want to take any action against Yu.
Zhen takes her medicine served by Huanbi and says her medicine is very sour. She has also felt very sleepy and has began to take naps. They find that something is weird as she is sleeping a lot.
Wen is summoned to attend Zhen discreetly. He tests her acupoint with a needle. The needle turns greenish and diagnoses she has been poisoned via an overdose of the medicine. If taken in the long term, she will feel sleepy at first, then she will begin to display signs of craziness and dementia within half year. The method to harm her is ingenious indeed.
The most immediate concern is to find the culprit. The herbs have been taken to Suiyu Xuan and then brewed here, so the culprit must be one of her servants. Therefore the most likely culprit must be one of the new servants then. Wen is instructed by Zhen to pretend that nothing is wrong so as not to alert the snake.
Jinxi has surveyed the grounds and found a hole in the wall that seems to be new. Zhen instructs her to pretend nothing is amiss and focus on the medicine brewing process tomorrow to catch the culprit red handed.
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We open with Liuzhu feeding fishes in a huge pot in Suiyu Xuan's courtyard. Zhen looks on and is chatting with her. Neiwufu is now sending the best of items to here as the emperor loves her the best currently. Also, Doctor Wen has been instructed to give Zhen tonics everyday. Yu has also been cursing at Zhen everyday. Zhen dismisses it and does not want to take any action against Yu.
Zhen takes her medicine served by Huanbi and says her medicine is very sour. She has also felt very sleepy and has began to take naps. They find that something is weird as she is sleeping a lot.
Wen is summoned to attend Zhen discreetly. He tests her acupoint with a needle. The needle turns greenish and diagnoses she has been poisoned via an overdose of the medicine. If taken in the long term, she will feel sleepy at first, then she will begin to display signs of craziness and dementia within half year. The method to harm her is ingenious indeed.
The most immediate concern is to find the culprit. The herbs have been taken to Suiyu Xuan and then brewed here, so the culprit must be one of her servants. Therefore the most likely culprit must be one of the new servants then. Wen is instructed by Zhen to pretend that nothing is wrong so as not to alert the snake.
Jinxi has surveyed the grounds and found a hole in the wall that seems to be new. Zhen instructs her to pretend nothing is amiss and focus on the medicine brewing process tomorrow to catch the culprit red handed.
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Shen has recovered and pays her respects to the empress. Cue sour looks on Huafei and Li Pin's faces.
Huafei "Shen Guiren's near drowning is really a blessing in disguise. Gaining so much favor and attention from His Majesty, this is something that others can't get even if they want it."
Li Pin "Oh yes, I've been wonder why these few days I've seen so many people suddenly hanging out at the pond. After thinking about it, I understand, they hope to fall into the pond like Shen Guiren, and the emperor's favor will arrive soon after."
Empress is not amused. "Li Pin you are great at joking. Who will use their lives as a joke?"
Huafei takes the chance to make a dig at the Empress. "Oh yes. Shen Guiren has always had the favor of His Majesty. Only old women would need to resort to all kinds of tricks to retain him. "
Shen rejoins with a neutral expression "Hearing all these words from niang niang, I am so afraid. Is there anyone who won't grow old? I have to go to BaoHua Dian to pray, that I will be like niang niang, young and pretty. "
Empress "Buddha has to bless this and that, how busy it is for him. It's better to do good deeds and get good karma."
Huafei tries another tack, "Heard that when Shen Guiren is sick, Wan Guiren was taking care of you day and night. Why isn't she here now?"
Li Pin "No matter how close sisters are, it also can't come between His majesty's invitation. I heard that he has invited Wan Guiren to the study, that's why she is absent."
Huafei tries to poke at Shen further, "So called sisters' affection, are only so shallow in the end."
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Zhen is taking her next dose of medicine. She tries it and spits it out. It's still doctored. She instructs Huanbi to pour it away without anyone seeing. She wonders how it's done when everyone is paying attention and nothing is caught.
Xiaoyunzi is examining the claypot. He wonders if the utensils can be doctored since they can't catch anyone changing the medicine. They scrutinise the claypot. Zhen sees that the colour of the inside lid is darker. Jinxi proposes that the lid could be soaked into the bad medicine so that it can get absorbed into the lid. When the lid is used to brew Zhen's medicine, when it boils, the medicine will touch the lid and the poison will get into the medicine without anyone knowing any better! (Such pots are made of clay or terracotta which is slightly porous.)
That must be it. Who is in charge of keeping the utensils? It is the new girl Huasui.
They put everything back in place and wait to set a trap. Xiaoyunzi is tasked to find out Huasui's background.
Xiaoyunzi places the claypot back. Huasui comes upon him. He takes the chance to test her why is the claypot so worn, how can she use it for little master. Huasui replies claypots are the older the better, new ones are not good on the contrary. (It's true.)
Xiaoyunzi reports to Zhen about Huasui. She was originally serving Yu. After she got demoted, Huasui was transferred here. Huasui is summoned. Liuzhu asks Huanbi to bring some hot coals as well.
When Huanbi chats with Huasui, she acts very loyal and hardworking. Huanbi tells Huasui to go into the room on the pretext that Zhen wants to reward her for her loyalty.
Zhen starts off nicely with some innocent questions. She then asks where Huasui was serving prior to her.
Huasui hesitates and say she did not follow any good master. She says she is fortunate to serve Zhen.
Zhen is annoyed and comes to the point. "You have followed Yu. It's true she is not considered a good master, but you must have gotten quite a lot of rewards from her. Else how dare you do such a deed that is punishable by death? So what is going on with my lid?"
Huasui denies everything fervently.
Liuzhu tells Huasui to hold the burning coal in her hand to prove her loyalty. "You are from Yu so little master is a little wary. If you do it, we will believe you are loyal and will be good to you."
Huasui tries to gather up her courage to do it but she cracks in the end.
"Guiren spare my life. One day after servant came here, Yu asked me over and gave me a lot of gold and silver. She forced me to do things for her. I was confused. Please forgive me. Yu said I do not need to do anything else, just put some medicine into little master's food and drinks. I followed instructions to dig a hole in the corner of the wall. Yu will give me additional instructions by passing notes through the hole. The medicine and the method of soaking the lid is also thought by Yu. There are no more people. The medicine will be passed every other day. There will be a birdcall at 1am. It's a man's hand with a scar on it."
Xiaoyunzi is tasked to lock up Huasui and prevent her from attempting suicide. They make plans for the catching tonight. Zhen informs Shen, but decides not to tell An. She says An is easily scared. Liuzhu asks Zhen to take affirmative action this time, she can't tolerate anymore.
It is night. Shen is with Zhen, watching Xiaoyunzi who is crouching on the wall's rooftop. Jinxi goes to the wall and makes the bird sound, the brick is removed and a hand holding a packet of medicine comes in. She catches hold of the hand and gives the alarm. Several eunuchs spring into action and catches the person.
The person turns out to be Xiaoyinzi, Kang Luhai's disciple who followed him to jobhop to Li Pin. He is beaten up by Xiaoyunzi after a failed interrogation attempt by Zhen. He confesses finally that it is Yu who instigated the whole plot.
Zhen is feeling chilled in her heart. After all, she was once Xiaoyinzi's master and treated him well and he is harming her now. She wants to take the offense towards Yu now and is griping that she has never harmed Yu but have been tolerating her nonsense instead. She just wants to live peacefully, is it so hard to do that?
Shen "People do not want to harm the tiger, but the tiger wants to harm the person instead. You and me, since when have we ever forced anyone? But they want our lives."
Zhen will report this to YZ and the empress. With evidence in their hand, Yu cannot deny her part in this. The only concern is that YZ may still consider their old feelings. Also, the poison and the cursing did not manage to harm Zhen anyway, so Yu will not be dealt with a death sentence.
Jinxi "But a crime of lying to the Emperor is capital punishment. Little master, do you remember I've asked you before, on the eve of the lunar new year in the plum blossom garden, did anyone try to fish in muddled water?"
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Huafei is dressing herself up with Li Pin and Cao Guiren attending to her. Zhou Ninghai comes and reports that Xiaoyinzi has not returned from his mission. They realise that their plot has been exposed.
Huafei "What a piece of trash!"
Li Pin "Niang niang, eunuchs don't have root. I'm afraid he can't stand torture and have confessed. Yu will definitely be exposed and beyond help. Will Yu tell of us?"
Huafei ,"What do you think?"
Li Pin, "Remove her."
Cao Guiren, "No. If Niang niang kills her now, it will garner unwanted attention. Best let Yu shoulder the whole responsibility."
Cao Guiren adds, "She wants to live, but she wants her whole family to live even more."
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Jinxi has completed her audience with YZ and comes out of Yangxin dian. Su Peisheng chats with her. They are very familiar with each other and have a very good relationship. She asks Su to help her to add oil and vinegar to the story in front of the emperor. Su agrees.
Yu is arrested and sent to the cold palace forever. That is the extent of her punishment. Huasui and Xiaoyinzi are sentenced to be beaten to death by rods.
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Zhen sees the emperor in his study. He will get the servants to be more watchful of her food and beverage, and laments at the evilness people will go to gain favor.
Zhen leads the conversation to the wishes she made at the garden. She "innocently" recites the poem. YZ finally gets the whole story clear from her, he summons Su.
"Convey my order. Yu from cold palace deceived the emperor andharmed the concubine. Bestow suicide. "
YZ "She deceived me and claimed to be the person who spoke to me in plum blossom garden on that day. She has always offended her betters, and I have always been lenient because of the feelings of that meeting. Now there is nothing to save her. "
Zhen "She did all these because she want to be with you. "
YZ "An emperor does not speak frivolously. But since you ask for mercy, I will allow her body to go back to her family."
Zhen "Thank you your majesty." YZ then helps her up and they go to a side table where they can lounge and sit comfortably.
In this whole conversation, it must be noted that Zhen is standing or kneeling in front of YZ's table. It is considered a formal audience and not an informal conversation, although YZ is speaking nicely and is concerned for her. Here Zhen is a subject speaking to an emperor, not as his wife. The audience is only considered dismissed when they go to the side table.
YZ tells her he will be leaving the palace for a few days to go on a survey.
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Huafei is with Li Pin. She asks if Cao Guiren has accomplished her mission. Li Pin affirms it. Cao is to take care of Yu's family to get her to shut her mouth.
"Cao Guiren is quiet all the time, but when she speaks, she makes sense. If she does not have the ability to accomplish some stuff for niang niang, there is no need to have her by your side."
Huafei asks Li Pin why isn't she getting the favor of YZ. Even Cao Guiren is doing better than her.
"Cao Guiren has a daughter. The emperor will naturally see her more often."
"Yes... even having a daughter is also good."
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Zhen, Shen and An are at Suiyu Xuan. The mood is subduded. Zhen is feeling bad that Huasui and Xiaoyinzi are sentenced to death, even thou she hates them for harming her. Likewise for Shen too, also, they are looking at their future with trepidition that there will be more people harming them.
An is naive and says they'll just get rid of them then. She only found out all the happenings at the empress. She asks why didn't they share with her. Zhen says she didn't deliberately do that. This type of thing is mentally draining and scary, it's better that she didn't know.
An "But I see jiejie as my sister. How can I not know what is happening to you? Whoever wants to harm us has to die."
Shen "Lingrong is usually so quiet and meek. But she has her own mind."
An is embarassed.
Huanbi comes in and reports that Yu is at the cold palace and refuses to commit suicide, and making a huge fuss, saying she wants to see the emperor.
The emperor has already gone out, the empress is having a migrane and unwell and lying in bed and not to be disturbed. Huafei is not making any moves at all, also claiming to be unwell. She was so close to Yu, now she wants to distance herself from her. Yu says she was framed and shattered the poison wine like a crazy person and still keep cursing Zhen.
An excuses herself. She asks Baojuan what sort of place is the cold palace. Baojuan replies it is a place where all the disgraced ex-concubines are sent. Most either go crazy or die. Because it is too "yin", it is called the cold palace. Whoever live near there will report seeing ghosts and hear crying sound, very eerie and scary.
An decides to go take a look. Yu is restrained but still making a huge fuss, crying and screaming. Su Peisheng is there and he doesn't know what to do. She claims to be sent from Zhen to check out the situation.
An addresses Yu "You do not want to die without know why. I will tell you the reason so you know what is going on. You poisoned Zhen jiejie's medicine."
Yu spits venomously, "Yes. I instigated people to do it. If not for her, I wouldn't lose the emperor's favor and be in this dire straits today. I want to gnaw on her bones and drink her blood, let this slut be unable to reincarnate. "
An "What's there to hate? As the proverb says, winners succeed as kings and losers are slaves. You should resign yourself to your fate. On the eve of lunar new year in the plum blossom garden, the poem, you substituted yourself for jiejie to gain favor, you still have the shame to live in this world? "
"Her... so it is her." Yu is deflated.
She screams again, "No, I don't want to die. You love to hear me sing Kun songs, your majesty I don't want to die."
An is exersperated. She talks to Su to solve the problem. Su wants to follow YZ's order to the letter and let her commit suicide.
An, "Gonggong has served his majesty for such a long time."
Su, "Yes 30 years."
An tries to persuade Su, "Gonggong has been very hardworking and put in so much effort in your work. You have served the emperor for so long, with so much experience, you can guess what is on his majesty's mind. His majesty has gone out of the palace, we can't possibly really wait for him to come back to see her. Even if his majesty bestow suicide, your task will be completed if she is dead. Who will pursue if she did really commited suicide or not? For example, if a concubine who is asked to accompany an emperor in the tomb and refuses to do it, what do they do? Gonggong understands there may be problems if you drag this out. Finish her, and you can give his majesty a peace of mind."
Su Peisheng is persuaded and An leaves. Baojuan asks why must An come to this type of place as Yu is going to be dead for sure.
An replies "I want jiejie to know, all I'm doing is for her."
Su Peisheng, "You don't treat us eunuchs as humans, but you have landed in our hands. Xiaoxiazi, I asked you to torlerate previously, this time you do not need to tolerate anymore."
Su Peisheng leaves and Xiaoxiazi takes out a garrot.
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Xiaoxiazi reports to Zhen who is with Shen. "It is a clean job, little master can set your mind at ease."
Zhen obviously does not know what he is talking about, "Set my mind at ease?"
Xiaoxiazi "Didn't you send An Daying? Yu was making trouble, and it was An Daying who said she's going to die anyway, so let your servant strangle her to death."
The ladies are horrified at hearing this grisly report.
Xiaoxiazi "It's An Daying's idea. Else shifu won't even think of this. Yu had bad interpersonal relationship skills, no one will say much about this."
Shen "Good job. You can go."
Zhen is so disgusted that she almost puked.
An comes back to Suiyu Xuan in a good mood at a job well done. She overhears Shen and Zhen talking right outside the window.
Zhen is distressed, "Was I too much?"
Shen considers, "If no one offends me, I won't harm anyone. But I did not ever imagine, Lingrong will be so cruel."
Zhen "She did it for us. There are so many harmful things in the palace. If you are not cruel to people, people will be cruel to you nevertheless. "
Shen "I know that. But for this issue originates from you. Lingrong had nothing to do with it. Even so, she still goes to the cold palace to ask people to strangle Yu to death. Her actions are not consistent with the usual meek and weak person we see everyday."
end of episode 10
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