Episode 34: Qi Sheng returns in triumph, Qi Han is exiled

In the palace, the concubines were lax in dressing up because Qi Cheng hadn’t returned to the palace for a long time, and they were free and unrestrained. The emperor and the empress finally returned to the palace and received a warm welcome from the subjects.

Yang Yu came to Daming Palace to plead guilty to Qi Cheng. It turned out that he had received a letter from Yang Yan’s family, and Yang Yan was fleeing outside the pass with the Nine Kings. Qi Cheng didn’t think about how to deal with Nine Kings and Yang Yan for the time being, he was worried that the courtiers would write a letter to execute the two of them, but Qi Cheng was concerned about the age of the Empress Dowager, and Yang Yan was Yang Yu’s son, so he couldn’t bear to deal with it. Yang Yu admired Qi Sheng’s benevolence.

Jiuwang and Yang Yanfeng slept in the open, in a state of embarrassment. Jiuwang felt guilty for causing Yang Yan to suffer. He planned to return to Shengjing to plead guilty. He wanted to exchange his life for the safety of others. When Zhang Pengpeng thought of Jiu Wang, she felt bad. She felt that everything Jiu Wang did was caused by herself, and she couldn’t bear it.

Jiu Wang and Yang Yan returned to Shengjing to surrender, Jiu Wang wanted to die, and took all the blame in front of Qi Cheng. When Zhang Pengpeng heard about it, he ordered Lv Li to prepare delicious food to meet Yang Yan. In the prison, Yang Yan satirized Zhang Pengpeng for not being able to stick to it, but Zhang Pengpeng didn’t understand why they had to come back after they escaped.

Yang Yanzhi blamed Zhang Pengpeng for throwing himself into Qi Cheng’s arms, which caused Jiu Wang to surrender to the enemy. Zhang Pengpeng felt very uncomfortable after hearing Yang Yan’s cry. She could understand Jiu Wang’s actions and said that she was ashamed of Jiu Wang. Yang Yan advised Zhang Pengpeng to meet Jiu Wang, but Zhang Pengpeng said he was not ready.

Zhang Pengpeng was drunk with Yang Yan in prison, but when he returned to Xingsheng Palace, he saw Qi Cheng waiting for him. Qi Cheng knew that she was going to see Yang Yan, but he didn’t punish Yang Yan. Treating Yan as a younger brother, she can understand her worry about Yang Yan’s life and death.

Qi Cheng told Zhang Pengpeng that the reason why Jiu Wang returned to Beijing to plead guilty was not to hurt other people. Zhang Pengpeng showed his loyalty to Qi Cheng and hoped that Qi Cheng would not kill Jiu Wang.

Early in the court, Qi Cheng decreed that the nine kings, Qi Han, would be exonerated from the death penalty, he would be demoted as a commoner and exiled in Lingnan, and Yang Yan would be exiled to Beimo for five years. Zhang Pengpeng came to visit Qi Han, Qi Han said that he had been waiting for Zhang Pengpeng, and Zhang Pengpeng returned Qi Han the Ruyi that Jiu Wang gave her. She also said to Qi Han that many things in the world are doomed and cannot be forced.

Qi Han asked someone to return Ruyi to Zhang Pengpeng before leaving the city, but Zhang Pengpeng didn’t see him off, she thought it was better for them to go their separate ways. Dressed in white, Qi Han rode his horse and left Shengdu with reluctance for Zhang Pengpeng.