Nancheng Banquet Episode 3 Recap
> Nancheng Banquet Recap
The Emperor arrived at the Empress's chamber, suddenly speaking affectionately to her, expressing his guilt. He ordered a table brought in and decided to paint a picture for her. It was Xiao Qiang Zi's idea to avoid different chambers, hoping the Empress would fall asleep while being painted, but instead, it was the Emperor who fell asleep first while waiting for her to doze off.
Fu Xiao, who was waiting outside, was found by the masked woman who handed her a packet of medicine, instructing her to drug the Emperor. She also mentioned the poison on her arm, warning that if left untreated, it would be fatal. Afterwards, Fu Xiao found the imperial physician and questioned why he lied about her being feverish when she was actually poisoned.
The imperial physician inadvertently revealed that Yan Zhangyun was behind it. Fu Xiao had the medicine given to her by the masked woman tested, learning it was meant to make one lethargic, not poisonous.
As she debated whether to give the medicine to the Emperor, Dao Ge arrived asking for water and accidentally drank it. He then tearfully claimed Xiao Qiang Zi as his benefactor. Fu Xiao suspected someone didn't want the Emperor to have an heir and decided to tread carefully, administering the medicine bit by bit.
On their way back, Fu Xiao encountered Yan Zhangyun, who deliberately tripped her into the water. The Empress Dowager visited the imperial hospital, where the imperial physician presented a tonic, guaranteeing the Emperor's vitality in the future.
Yan Zhangyun brought Xiao Qiang Zi before the Emperor, ostensibly to spar with him, but without regard for the Emperor's status, he made the Emperor stumble multiple times. To ensure the Emperor's victory, Xiao Qiang Zi added lethargy-inducing medicine to Yan Zhangyun's water, but he saw through the trick and made her drink it instead.
Later, Fu Xiao tearfully complained to the Emperor, claiming she was crippled by Yan Zhangyun and received no favor from the Emperor. At that moment, a eunuch brought the Empress's personally brewed tonic, which the Emperor rewarded to Xiao Qiang Zi.
After drinking it, Xiao Qiang Zi felt unusually hot. The Empress, impatient for the Emperor, stumbled upon the Emperor and Xiao Qiang Zi behaving intimately, becoming jealous and ordering Xiao Qiang Zi thrown out.
Dazed, Xiao Qiang Zi ended up at Yan Zhangyun's palace, where, seeing him, she went to embrace him but was promptly knocked unconscious. To keep Xiao Qiang Zi away from the Emperor, Yan Zhangyun deliberately spread rumors about their intimacy to the Empress Dowager, leaving Xiao Qiang Zi with no choice but to seek refuge with the Thousand Feather Guards.
Fu Xiao arrived at the Emperor's palace, denying the rumors and insisting on their innocence. Just as she finished speaking, sand blew into her eyes, and the Emperor blew it away. The Empress Dowager, unable to find the Emperor, stumbled upon him holding Xiao Qiang Zi's face affectionately.
She immediately ordered the eunuchs to kill Xiao Qiang Zi. The Emperor pleaded with the Empress Dowager to spare Xiao Qiang Zi's life. Just as Fu Xiao was about to be stabbed with a white silk, she faintly remembered something. Instinctively, she injured those around her.
At that moment, Yan Zhangyun arrived to prove that Xiao Qiang Zi was actually a guard of the Thousand Feather Guards, tasked with protecting the Emperor. To save Xiao Qiang Zi's life, the Emperor reluctantly handed her over to the Thousand Feather Guards in front of the Empress Dowager.
That night, the Emperor dreamed of being restrained by the Prime Minister and the Empress Dowager, watching helplessly as Xiao Qiang Zi was killed. To ease the Emperor's nightmares, the Empress sent someone to retrieve Xiao Qiang Zi. Meanwhile, Yan Zhangyun ordered Xiao Qiang Zi to share a room with him that night, even providing her with a mat. Xiao Qiang Zi made various excuses to leave, but the eunuch announced the Emperor's illness, forcibly taking Xiao Qiang Zi away.
Following the Empress's orders, Xiao Qiang Zi administered medicine to the Emperor and was then dismissed by Yan Zhangyun again. Analyzing the current situation, Fu Xiao realized the Emperor was seriously ill and she had offended both the Empress and the Empress Dowager, leaving Yan Zhangyun as her only support.
Yan Zhangyun gave Xiao Qiang Zi a vial of antidote, asking if she resented the Emperor for not saving her, nearly leading to her execution. Xiao Qiang Zi said the Emperor had no choice and sympathized with him, convincing Yan Zhangyun of her perspective.
That night, Xiao Qiang Zi attempted to escape but was caught by Yan Zhangyun, who then slept. Unable to flee, she attempted to steal the antidote while he slept, but he caught her searching and, upon being discovered, pretended to cover her with a blanket, lying back down on the floor.
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