Nancheng Banquet Episode 11 Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
At the funeral of Prime Minister Xiao, the public speculated on the cause of his death, with rumors suggesting he was killed by Qin Yan or others among the Qins' former subordinates. Yan Changyun arrived with the Thousand Feather Guard and ordered Prime Minister Xiao's body taken away for investigation. Xiao Quan, the late Prime Minister's son, vehemently protested, accusing Yan Changyun of acting on a personal vendetta.
He stated that his father had left the characters "Guanyou" before dying, which he believed indicated a connection to the Qins' former subordinates. To appease Xiao Quan, the Emperor decreed that Yan Changyun must return the body for burial. Yan Changyun's examination of Prime Minister Xiao's body revealed that the fatal stab wound to the chest was not delivered with significant force and appeared unprofessional, unlike the work of a martial artist.
He also discovered white powder, resembling women's makeup, in the Prime Minister's hair. The body was then returned for burial as ordered by the Emperor. In the palace, the Queen was distraught over her father's sudden death, lamenting that her recent visit home was their last meeting. Feeling increasingly isolated and unloved by the Emperor, and having lost her family's political support, she confided in Xiao Qiang.
Understanding her pain, Qiang drank heavily with the Queen and vowed to help her win the Emperor's affection by grooming her to look her best. The Queen, touched by Qiang's kindness, helped apply makeup to Qiang's face, remarking how beautiful Qiang would be as a woman. In her drunken state, Qiang confessed to being a woman, though the Queen, also intoxicated, did not seem to fully comprehend or believe her.
Later that night, a disheveled and drunk Qiang stumbled out of the Queen's palace. The Emperor, seeing Qiang from afar, was struck by her appearance. That night, he painted a portrait of Qiang dressed as a woman, wishing that his trusted confidant could instead be his lover. Outside the Phoenix Palace, Yan Changyun intercepted Qiang and carried her back to his chambers.
There, Qiang held Yan Changyun's hand and, gathering courage, revealed her true identity as a woman and expressed her feelings for him. Before she could finish, Yan Changyun attempted to stop her, but Qiang kissed him. Yan Changyun responded with equal passion, no longer hiding his own emotions. The next morning, Qiang woke up, initially dismissing the night's events with Yan Changyun as a dream. However, catching sight of herself in the mirror, she realized the kiss was real.
She also remembered telling the Queen she was a woman and worried about the severe consequences if the Queen revealed her secret, which could be interpreted as deceiving the Emperor. Elsewhere, Xiao Quan was attending to his sister, the Queen, who was resting after their drinking session. Qiang, concerned about the Queen, came to visit. Peeking through the door, Qiang witnessed Xiao Quan secretly kissing the sleeping Queen.
Qiang contemplated immediately reporting this to the Emperor but decided against it, fearing it would severely damage the Queen's reputation and lead to a royal scandal. While still debating, Qiang was spotted by Xueru, the Queen's maid. Xiao Quan then emerged. Qiang quickly composed herself and appealed to Xiao Quan for fairness, claiming Xueru had unfairly scolded her upon arrival, despite only wanting to check on the Queen's health. Xiao Quan, seemingly unaware of what Qiang had witnessed, reprimanded Xueru.
Xiao Quan later visited a pleasure house, the Yunshao House. Upon seeing him, Chu Yue, one of the courtesans and a top performer there, immediately sent a message to Yan Changyun. In a private room, Liu Qingshan and other court officials were discussing who should take over the Prime Minister's position. Xiao Quan entered, revealing he possessed evidence of their forming cliques, corruption, and bribery, effectively controlling them.
Liu Qingshan only yielded after Xiao Quan presented his wife's jade ring, stained with blood. Chu Yue, having overheard parts of the conversation, was discovered by Xiao Quan, who ordered an investigation into her background and questioned if she was connected to Yan Changyun. Meanwhile, Wei Tianjiao had identified the white powder found on Prime Minister Xiao's body.
It was a high-grade powder from Qingzhou Wanhong County, exclusively supplied to the palace as tribute and used by noblewomen and some individuals in the Yunshao House. Yan Changyun instructed Wei Tianjiao, leveraging his connection to the Empress Dowager, to discreetly investigate who in the palace used this specific powder. Chu Yue, risking danger, met with Yan Changyun later that night and reported what she had heard about Liu Qingshan and Xiao Quan's meeting.
Yan Changyun cautioned her to be careful and ensure her own safety. Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Quan was already aware of their meeting and had learned that Chu Yue was the daughter of Lei Bao, recognizing her connection to the Qins' former subordinates. Observing Yan Changyun's protection of Chu Yue, Xiao Quan ordered her to be closely monitored.
Learning that Wei Tianjiao was investigating the powder, Xiao Quan plotted to use this to frame Chu Yue, intending to eliminate her as a remnant of the Qins' former subordinates and potentially avenge his father using her as a scapegoat. The following day, the court convened.
Most officials, under duress from Xiao Quan, unanimously recommended Vice Minister Xiao Quan to be promoted to Minister of Justice, citing the need for stable leadership and for someone to continue investigations left unfinished by the late Prime Minister, such as the Poppy powder case. Only Yan Changyun voiced opposition, arguing that a decision should wait until the investigation into the Prime Minister's death was complete. However, the other officials stressed the urgency of filling the power vacuum.
After the session, Xiao Quan confronted Yan, accusing him of hindering his efforts just as Yan had previously clashed with his father over cases, implying Yan was responsible for his father's death. Yan countered by referencing the deaths linked to the Poppy powder. News of Xiao Quan's nomination reached the Queen. She expressed concern that her brother, upon gaining such power, might treat the Emperor disrespectfully, just as their father had.
Xiao Qiang advised the Queen to maintain a proper distance from Xiao Quan, pointing out that it was inappropriate for outside officials to frequently enter the inner palace. Xiao Quan overheard this conversation. Later, he intercepted Qiang, confronting her about what she had seen. Qiang swore repeatedly that she would not reveal anything, understanding the danger she was in.
As Xiao Quan threatened her, implying he could easily dispose of a eunuch and that his family controlled the law, Qiang tried to flee, blowing her Jade bone whistle for help. Yan Changyun quickly arrived, finding Qiang injured on the ground. He immediately took her back to his room, administered first aid, and summoned Physician Qu.
He sternly instructed Physician Qu, whom he called the smartest person in the palace, to treat Qiang as a eunuch and to reveal nothing about her true identity or the circumstances of her injury, even if the Emperor inquired. Shortly after, news reached the Emperor that Qiang had been injured.
