《Qiao Chu》adapted from hope Xing's novel "Queen of Chu", with the fate of the Chu Dynasty's counterattack and the changes in the situation of the Chu Dynasty as the main line.The Chu Dynasty might have become a victim in the struggle for power. After seeing clearly her own situation, she no longer passively endured it, but chose to take the initiative to enter the situation and rewrite her own ending in the intertwined situation of aristocratic families, imperial power and war.

In the story, the Chu Dynasty met Xie Yanlai, the concubine of the Xie family.Xie Yanlai was originally in a gloomy situation, bound by his identity and destiny. The appearance of Chu Chao made him see the possibility of breaking free from the shackles again.The two supported each other in the turmoil. One went from the daughter of a general to a broader choice of family and country, and the other grew from a soldier in the imperial army to a general who can take charge of his own role. The relationship between the characters and the plot lines advance each other.

The latter part of the series puts personal destiny into greater chaos.After seeing the suffering of the people in the war, the Chu Dynasty chose to return to the center of right and wrong, assist the young emperor to stabilize the court situation, and face internal and external troubles together with Xie Yanlai.The whole play focuses on the intrigues of ancient costumes, female growth and the protection of family and country, and describes how the characters find their place among ambition, war and responsibility.

Episode 1 plot introduction

The border general Chu Cen guards Yunzhong County all year round, and the only daughter Chu Chao also grew up in the desert border town.She lost her mother when she was young and has a cheerful temperament. Although her father protects her by her side, she does not want to just be the daughter of a general and a noble lady.Once she secretly ran to the market and saw people surrounding a young man and lynching him.The man was called a slave, and others said he set fire to many people, but the Chu Dynasty refused to let anyone beat him to death in the street.She took off the whip and brought out the laws of Dachu, reminding everyone that even if the other party was guilty, they could not abuse lynching to take people's lives.Zhong Changrong came to take her away, worried that she would be involved in something she shouldn't be involved in, but Chu Chao had already buried his doubts about the unfairness of the world.

After returning to Chudu, Chu Chao had a dispute with his father.She complained that Chu Cen only cared about military achievements and border defense, and never really understood her wish to find her mother's old traces.Chu Cen was persuaded by his daughter to arrange a mansion for her in the city.Chu Chao originally thought she could live a more comfortable life, but fate soon pushed her to Xiao Xun.She became closer to Xiao Xun and decided that this relationship was enough to overcome her father's opposition.A year later, she took Xiao Xun back to the desert to propose marriage, but was ambushed on the way.In a critical moment, a man calling himself Fu Jiu came to the rescue.He was agile and dealt with the enemy without hesitation. He even killed the maid who was held hostage by the gangster with one arrow.Xiao Xun couldn't bear the death of the maid, but Chu Chao saw that the maid's clothes were similar to those of the gangsters, and she was an insider.For the first time, she realized that the softness and hardness of people around her were not always what they seemed on the surface.

Chu Cen refused to agree to the marriage, saying bluntly that his daughter was not suitable to marry into a wealthy family.However, the Chu Dynasty was immersed in its trust in Xiao Xun and insisted on returning to Chudu. He did not return to the desert for two years, but often made snacks for his father.Later, King Xiaonan made meritorious service, and the emperor granted marriage to Xiao Xun and the Chu Dynasty.Chu Cen felt uneasy and sent Fu Jiu to the capital to deliver the dowry and secretly protect his daughter.On the wedding night, a military riot broke out in the Chu capital. News came that the third prince had murdered the prince. Xiao Xun killed the third prince in the name of quelling the chaos.A few days later, the emperor died, the prince was dead, Xiao Xun ascended the throne naturally, and the Chu Dynasty also changed from a general's daughter to a queen.

After Xiao Xun ascended the throne, Chu Cen went to court and asked him to treat the Chu Dynasty well.Xiao Xun was gentle on the surface, but in fact he wanted to keep Chu Cen in the capital and seize control of the border troops.Chu Cen insisted on returning to the desert to guard the border, which made Xiao Xun feel murderous in his heart.Two years later, Chu Cen was summoned to Beijing to celebrate the birthday of the Chu Dynasty.In the main hall, the father and daughter had just reunited when a decree was suddenly announced. Chu Cen was accused of having an affair with Shuo Mo and murdering the late emperor, and the entire Chu family was executed.Chu Chao had no time to defend himself, as his father had already died in front of the palace.She was brought back to the palace, and Xiao Xun coldly revealed the truth about her years of use. It turned out that he had regarded her and the Chu family as a ladder on the road to seizing power from the beginning.The Chu Dynasty collapsed and tried to survive, but was strangled to death by Xiao Xun himself.

Fu Jiu broke through the siege and assassinated Xiao Xun, but Chu Chao's consciousness fell into an empty place.The tragedy of her previous life was still in front of her. When she opened her eyes again, she returned to Tianshu, where the emperor had just given her a marriage, nineteen years ago.A Le stayed by his side, completely unaware of what Chu Chao had just experienced.Xiao Xun came to discuss the marriage. Chu Chao looked at this familiar face and could hardly suppress his hatred. He said on the spot that he would kill him to avenge his father.Ah Le thought she had been poisoned and hurriedly took her back to the room.Suddenly, another self in the queen's clothes was reflected in the mirror. It was the shadow of resentment and hatred from the previous life.Chu Chao finally understood that God had given her a chance to come back. She could no longer be a pawn at the mercy of others. Xiao Xun and everyone who killed the Chu family must pay the price.

Episode 2 plot introduction

When Chu Chaoxing was granted the marriage, the tragedy of the Chu family being exterminated in his previous life still weighed heavily on his mind.She did not flee Chudu immediately, but first stabilized the people around her, especially her personal maid A Le.A Le didn't understand why the young lady was suddenly hostile to Xiao Xun, so he just pretended that she hadn't woken up from a nightmare.However, Chu Chao knew that every step he took was related to the life and death of his father and the Chu family.She began to re-examine the relationship between Xiao Xun, the Xiaonan Palace and the powerful people in the capital, and realized that her innocence in her previous life was an opportunity for Xiao Xun to succeed.She must cut off Xiao Xun's plot against the Chu family before the marriage is completely settled.

Xiao Xun still came to see Chu Chao as before, with gentle words and considerate behavior, like a fiancé who was really looking forward to getting married.Seeing his pretended affection, Chu Chao felt a chill in his back.She did not rashly reveal the truth about her past life, but followed her words to test Xiao Xun's thoughts.Xiao Xun thought that Chu Chao was still easy to coax, and he wanted her to accept the marriage arrangement as soon as possible, and also mentioned Chu Cen's objection to the marriage.Chu Chao heard that he still regarded his father as an obstacle on the road to seizing power, and became more determined.She was perfunctory on the surface, but secretly she began to look for a way to send a message to Chu Cen.

Fu Jiu reappeared in Chu Chao's sight.In his previous life, he had assassinated Xiao Xun for her at the last moment, and he had also rescued her coldly on the desert road.After her rebirth, Chu Chao knew that this silent guard was no ordinary follower, but a sharp blade left by her father to protect her.She tried to get close to Fu Jiu, trying to convince him that she had seen Xiao Xun clearly.Fu Jiu was wary of her sudden changes, but also noticed that Chu Chao was no longer as willful as before.The Chu Dynasty took the opportunity to ask about the border troops, Chu Cen's current situation and the movements in the capital, trying to piece together the full picture of Xiao Xun's layout.

Xiaonan Palace is also secretly promoting the marriage.Xiao Xun didn't want Chu Cen to have another chance to stop him, and wanted to use the emperor's order to suppress the general's palace.The Chu Dynasty knew that if they continued to marry according to the trajectory of their previous lives, the Chu family would sooner or later be involved in the whirlpool of power grabbing.She decided to start with the links around her that were most easily exploited, and clean up Xiao Xun's eyes and ears in the house.Although A Le was worried that Chu Chao would act too radically, after a few details, he gradually believed that the young lady was not crazy for no reason.Chu Chao asked her to keep abreast of the news about her hospitalization, and not to trust the people sent by Xiao Xun as casually as before.

Chu Chao also began to face the resentful self in the mirror.The shadow in the mirror kept reminding her that the pain in her previous life could not be forgotten and Xiao Xun must die.But after truly going back to the past, Chu Chao discovered that revenge was not as simple as rushing in and killing people.If she only wanted to be happy for a while, Chu Cen, Fu Jiu, A Le and the entire Chu family might still be dragged into a larger conspiracy.She suppressed her hatred and decided to save her father first, and then change the fate of the Chu family.In the second episode, Chu Chao gradually regains her judgment from the collapse of her previous life. What she has to do is not just to refuse the marriage, but to get ahead of Xiao Xun and reset the chessboard of power.

At night, Chu Chao wrote down the key points that happened in his previous life one by one, and burned them with his own hands after reading them.She remembered when Xiao Xun used marriage to get closer to the Chu family, when he induced her father to come to the capital in court, and how those seemingly unrelated little things eventually formed a web that led to the Chu family's downfall.A Le came back with the soothing soup. Seeing her terrifyingly calm expression, he couldn't help but advise her to take a rest first.However, the Chu Dynasty asked A Le to pay attention to every foreign face in the palace from tomorrow, especially the gifts and messengers sent by the Xiaonan Palace.She no longer allowed herself to regard danger as affection as she did in her previous life, nor did she regard her father's obstruction as unkindness.The sky was getting brighter outside the window, and Xiao Xun thought that Chu Chao was just losing his temper after the marriage, but Chu Chao had already put his name at the top of the revenge list.

Episode 3 plot introduction

On the surface, the Chu Dynasty was still trapped by the marriage grant, but secretly it had begun to fight back.She knew that Xiao Xun was best at covering up his ambition with tenderness and righteousness, so she was no longer led by his gesture.In order to alert her father Chu Cen, she tried every means to spread the anomaly in Beijing back to the desert.But Xiaonan Palace kept a close eye on them, and ordinary letters could easily be intercepted. The Chu Dynasty could only rely on the cooperation of A Le and Fu Jiu to circumvent the situation.Fu Jiu saw that she had changed from her previous attitude of only caring about love. Although she still didn't completely trust her, she was willing to listen to her arrangements.

Xiao Xun continued to visit Chu Mansion, trying to soften the Chu Dynasty with old feelings.He mentioned their wedding date and deliberately showed respect for Chu Cen.When Chu Chao heard these words, what came to his mind was the scene of his father being killed in front of the palace in his previous life.She forced herself not to show her hatred, so as not to alert the enemy.Xiao Xun noticed that she was colder than before, so he tested her on the grounds that he was worried about her health.Chu Chao took advantage of the situation and pretended to be uneasy after being ill, attributing his emotional changes to nightmares.Xiao Xun temporarily put aside his suspicion, but did not give up controlling her.

Cracks also began to appear in the situation in Beijing and China.The royal family had its own plans for reserve positions and military power, and the border troops in Chu Cen's hands became the key in many people's eyes.In the past, the Chu Dynasty only knew that his father was famous, but now he understands why Xiao Xun is so afraid of the military power of the border army.She recalled every word she said at the enthronement ceremony in her previous life, and realized that Xiao Xun had been eyeing the Chu family even before their marriage.To keep the Chu family, one must not just avoid the marriage, but also make Xiao Xun lose the opportunity to gain power through the Chu family.

Fu Jiu brought back some clues, showing that there were indeed people around the Chu Mansion secretly inquiring about information.The Chu Dynasty did not rush to arrest people, but deliberately spread half-truths and half-false rumors to see where the news would go.It was the first time A Le participated in such a secret arrangement, and he was so nervous that he almost said the wrong thing.Chu Chao comforted her and asked her to do things as usual and not let outsiders see the flaws.Soon, a servant in the mansion who often had contact with the outside showed his flaws. Chu Chao followed the clues and confirmed that the people around Xiao Xun had been keeping an eye on the Chu family.

This discovery made Chu Chao more sober.In her previous life, she thought she married Xiao Xun out of love, but in fact she was pushed away every step of the way.She no longer just wanted to kill Xiao Xun face to face, but to stop his carefully paved road in the middle.She arranged for Fu Jiu to continue to investigate the movements of Xiaonan Palace, and also asked A Le to pay attention to any abnormalities in the palace.Late at night, the queen's shadow in the mirror appeared again, asking her why she didn't take action yet.Chu Chao looked at herself in the mirror full of resentment, and finally made her real choice: she would take revenge, but she would keep the Chu family alive and let Xiao Xun lose everything he wanted most.

In order to confirm his judgment, Chu Chao deliberately asked A Le to mention in the courtyard that he wanted to return to Yunzhong County to visit the general.It didn't take long for these words to reach Xiao Xun's ears. Xiao Xun immediately sent someone to deliver a consolation gift. He also hinted that the wedding was approaching and Chu Cen no longer had to worry about trivial matters.After hearing this, Chu Chao knew that there was more than one hidden thread in the mansion.She didn't say anything, just accepted the gift, and let Ah Le continue to joke with the servants.Fu Jiu saw that she was taking a long-term view and reminded her that the more people around her, the greater the possibility of making mistakes.But Chu Chao said that in the previous life, everyone regarded her as the one who was the best to deceive, and this time she was going to take advantage of this misjudgment.The more she pretends to hesitate, the more eager Xiao Xun will be to reveal the next step, and the more the fox tail will be unable to be hidden.

Episode 4 plot introduction

The Chu Dynasty's counterattack gradually extended from trivial matters in the palace to undercurrents in the court.Xiao Xun found that she no longer relied on him as wholeheartedly as before, so he began to speed up the marriage.While showing goodwill to the Chu Dynasty, he also used the relationship between the Xiaonan Palace and the palace to exert pressure, hoping that the marriage grant would become an unchangeable fact as soon as possible.The Chu Dynasty knew that if he directly resisted the order, it would only leave Xiao Xun with the leverage to attack the Chu family.She could only find a gap between the emperor's order and her father's safety, neither allowing the marriage to happen nor allowing Chu Cen to be charged with disobedience.

Fu Jiu followed the Chu Dynasty's instructions and continued to trace Xiao Xun's men, and found that several forces in the capital were surrounding the Chu family.In addition to Xiao Xun, there are also people in the Xie family who are paying attention to the news in the General's Mansion.Xie Yanlai was still just a concubine of the Xie family at this time. His status was awkward and he was not conspicuous among the powerful.The Chu Dynasty had limited knowledge of him in his previous life, but he realized from some details that this man was not an ordinary child who could be manipulated by others.When she and Xie Yanlai had their first real confrontation, neither of them spoke clearly, but both could tell that the other was hiding something.

Chu Chao took advantage of an outing to deliberately let Xiao Xun's people think that she was still worried about her marriage, but in fact, he secretly contacted channels that could send the news to the border.She wanted her father to know that Xiao Xun's goal was not just to marry her, but to use her to control the Chu family's military power.Fu Jiu was worried that the operation would be too risky and advised her not to get involved personally.However, Chu Chao understood that in his previous life, it was precisely because he knew nothing that Chu Cen was allowed to bear all the risks alone.Now that she is back, she can no longer hide behind her father.

The appearance of Xie Yanlai added another layer of change to the situation.He is cynical on the surface, but is actually very sensitive to the cold looks and calculations of the powerful in the capital.The Chu Dynasty saw in him a struggle similar to his own: one was the daughter of a general who was treated as a pawn, and the other was a bastard who was despised by the family.After the two had a brief contact, Chu Chao did not trust him immediately, but remembered his astuteness.Xie Yanlai also became interested in Chu Chao's sudden vigilance and began to pay attention to the changes between her and Xiao Xun.

Xiao Xun did not notice that Chu Chao had turned his attention to the larger chess game.He still thought that as long as he stabilized her, he could use the Chu family to smoothly ascend to power.Chu Chao returned to his mansion and received a response from the border direction, confirming that Fu Jiu's channel was available.She finally had her first initiative.In Episode 4, the Chu Dynasty no longer just avoids marriage, but begins to make plans to contain Xiao Xun; Xie Yanlai's thread also quietly enters her destiny, and the two people who should not be side by side are slowly getting closer under the undercurrent of power.

The Chu Dynasty then used the pretext of sorting out the dowry to dig out the old things sent by Chu Cen one by one.Those bowstrings, riding whips and military tokens from the desert reminded her again of her father's situation at the border.She knew that what Xiao Xun was really afraid of was not herself, but the military power in Chu Cen's hands that could guard the border.If his father is forced to go to Beijing, the frontier army will lose its most stable backbone.The Chu Dynasty asked Fu Jiu to bring an old token back to Yunzhong County, along with a secret code that only the father and daughter could understand, reminding Chu Cen not to trust the imperial summons.After the arrangements were made, she appeared in front of Xiao Xun as usual, and even took the initiative to ask about the wedding system.Xiao Xun saw that she seemed to soften and her expression finally relaxed, but Chu Chao remembered every word he said in his heart, and also clearly remembered the flaw in his eagerness to get married.

Episode 5 plot introduction

After Chu Chao received his father's reply, he felt a little more at ease.Although Chu Cen did not fully understand why his daughter suddenly changed, he had noticed that something was wrong with the situation in Beijing and agreed to suspend his attitude towards the marriage.The Chu Dynasty knew that this was not enough. If Xiao Xun really wanted to force the Chu family into the situation through the marriage grant, he would definitely have other tricks.She asked Fu Jiu to continue to keep an eye on the Xiaonan Prince's Mansion, and at the same time asked A Le to rearrange the account books and the movements of the servants in the mansion.Those details that she ignored in the past may now become life-saving clues.

Xiao Xun learned that Chu Cen had not relented and remained gentle on the surface, but secretly he became impatient.He asked Chu Chao to meet and tried to use his old feelings to get her to take the initiative to stand on his side.Chu Chao did not refuse to go to the appointment, but he deliberately kept his words vague, making Xiao Xun think that she was only influenced by her father, and she was still shaken.Xiao Xun took advantage of the situation and mentioned the future, saying that she would be honored after the two got married.When Chu Chao heard these promises, he felt that the cold palace in his previous life and the bloody shadow of his father's fall appeared at the same time.She suppressed her anger and continued to deal with him.

Xie Yanlai met Chu Chao again.His status as the bastard of the Xie family limited him everywhere in the capital, but he understood the warmth and warmth of people's hearts better than many nobles.The Chu Dynasty deliberately tested him and asked whether it would be too arrogant for someone to know that their fate was unfair but still wanted to change it.Xie Yanlai did not answer directly, only saying that the world never takes the initiative to give people a way out, and if you want to live, you have to move forward on your own.Chu Chao heard the edge in his words and realized that this person might be her key to leveraging the situation.Xie Yanlai also saw the calmness in Chu Chao's eyes that was inappropriate for his age, and was more interested in her origins and purpose.

The clues to the internal response in the mansion gradually became clear.Ah Le discovered that someone was passing news to others in the name of purchasing. Fu Jiu secretly followed and confirmed that the person was related to the Xiaonan Palace.The Chu Dynasty did not deal with it immediately, but instead used this thread to spread false news, claiming that he had been persuaded by Xiao Xun and was preparing to persuade his father to accept the marriage.Xiao Xun took the bait and began to arrange the next step to force Chu Cen to enter the capital.Chu Chao watched the situation move as he expected, feeling for the first time that his initiative after rebirth was not just a fantasy.

However, the Queen's shadow in the mirror was not satisfied.She kept urging the Chu Dynasty to kill Xiao Xun, believing that any plan was inferior to direct revenge.Chu Chao faced the mirror and said that he would no longer let hatred lead him away.In her previous life, she died too quickly and woke up too late; in this life, she wanted to keep her father alive so that the Chu family would no longer be a sacrifice for Xiao Xun's ascension to the throne.In Episode 5, Chu Chao used internal agents to set up a trap. Xiao Xun still thought that he controlled her, and Xie Yanlai began to become a new variable that she could observe and exploit.The path of revenge finally changed from pure hatred to a real power struggle.

After the false news spread, the movements outside the Chu Mansion became more frequent.The lobbyist sent by Xiao Xun took a gentler tone and made insinuations to find out when Chu Cen would enter the capital.Chu Chao deliberately showed some embarrassment and said that he was willing to get married, but he was afraid that his father would not agree.The other party quickly took the words back, and Xiao Xun thought that she was on his side.At the same time, Xie Yanlai also heard the Xiaonan Prince's plans for the Chu family from the conversations of the Xie family. He did not remind the Chu family rashly, but only said in a chance encounter: "The road is too smooth, and most people have paved the way first".Chu Chao understood his hint and confirmed that Xie Yanlai was not just a spectator.She began to think about how to bring this bastard who was despised by the family into her own situation, so that Xiao Xun would no longer face just a suddenly awakened Chu Dynasty.

Episode 6 plot introduction

When Chu Chao learned that his father Chu Cen was seriously ill, he could no longer stay in the capital safely.She understood that Xiao Xun and several forces in the capital were watching her every move. If she openly left the capital as the eldest princess, it would only lead to a bigger trap being set in advance.She used the excuse that she was ill and needed to rest, to keep the news in the hospital to a minimum, and asked Ah Le to cooperate in covering up the news.On the surface, the mansion was still closed and thanking guests as usual, but in fact, the Chu Dynasty had packed up all the tokens and clues that could be taken away, and was just waiting for the cover of night to leave.

Xiao Xun soon realized that Chu Chao was not in the house.While he sent people to trace her whereabouts, he stirred up the wind in the court, deliberately letting Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang restrain each other.The Chu Dynasty left Beijing to visit his father, but Xiao Xun saw it as an opportunity to regain the initiative.If she could be eliminated halfway, or forced to lose her title of eldest princess, Yunzhong County and Chu Cen's old tribe would fall into ownerless chaos again.Xiao Xun did not want to show up in person, but hid his murderous intention behind layers of orders, waiting for Chu Chao to walk into an ambush.

Xie Yanlai learned that the Chu Dynasty was leaving and immediately chased him to escort him.The two of them did not take the official road on their way to Yunzhong County, but instead took a detour through a remote path.Chu Chao had been paying attention to the abnormalities in the inns and checkpoints all the way, and Xie Yanlai did not relax his vigilance.When passing through Xunyang Town, they saw several people who claimed to be soldiers looking panicked, saying that the military situation was urgent, but they didn't have the sharpness of real military personnel.Chu Chao deliberately slowed down his pace to let the other side think he had an opportunity, while Xie Yanlai secretly observed their weapons and gestures.

Those people really showed their flaws.The documents they held could not withstand careful questioning, and they could not answer the questions about Yunzhong County's defense.The Chu Dynasty saw from the details that they were not regular personnel sent by Xiao Xun, but more like desperadoes coming out of the mountains.Xie Yanlai tried to test him, and within a few moves he forced the opponent into chaos.Ge Dashi, who took the lead, still wanted to pass by as a soldier, but was exposed by the Chu Dynasty on the spot.Only then did everyone realize that they were from Cangmu Village, and that they were not pretending to be soldiers to intercept the Chu Dynasty, but to investigate a clue related to Shuomo's military situation.

Ge Dashi refused to explain the truth at first, saying only that Cangmuzhai did not want to get involved in the court battle.Chu Chao heard that there was something hidden in his words, so he simply revealed his identity as the eldest princess.As soon as this identity came out, the attitude of the bandits changed obviously. Some were afraid, some were suspicious, and some turned their attention to Ge Da's corpse. It seemed that they had heard the name of the Chu family for a long time.At the same time, Tie Ying's people have been chasing nearby, and undercurrents are surging around Xunyang Town.The Chu Dynasty judged that continuing to stay would only expose their whereabouts, so they decided to follow Ge Dashi and others to Cangmu Village for a while, and then find out the origin of Shuomo's military information from their mouths.

On the way up the mountain, the Chu Dynasty did not completely believe Ge Dashi.She asked Xie Yanlai to walk behind her, in case the people in the village suddenly repented, and also paid attention to their reaction to the Yunzhong County soldiers.Xie Yan came to see that these bandits were not just gathering for looting. They were rough in behavior, but were particularly sensitive to some old military items.The doubts in Chu Chao's heart became more and more serious: his father had guarded the border area for many years, and if Cangmu Village was really related to the old affairs of Yunzhong County, Xiao Xun's ambush would not be the only danger.She wants to return to her father, and she also wants to find out where this line, which is being targeted by bandits and pursuers at the same time, leads to.

When darkness descended on the mountain road, Tie Ying's pursuers were already approaching.Chu Chao looked back at Xunyang Town on horseback, knowing that he could no longer hide the news of his departure from Beijing.She did not retreat to the capital, nor did she bow to Xiao Xun, but continued walking along the road that unexpectedly appeared in Cangmuzhai.Xie Yanlai was by her side, and both of them knew that what they faced next was not only a pursuit, but also a bigger trap intertwined with the old cases in Yunzhong County, the military situation in Shuomo, and the power struggle in the capital.

Episode 7 plot introduction

After Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai entered Cangmu Village, everyone in the village was wary and curious about them.Ge Dashi said that he was only temporarily taking him in, but in fact he had been testing whether the Chu Dynasty could really represent the old Yunzhong County.The Chu Dynasty did not rush to ask questions, but first checked the wounded soldiers and stored weapons in the stronghold.She soon discovered that the making marks of some swords were similar to those of Yunzhong County's ordnance, and the knotting and binding techniques also had the habits commonly used by border troops.These details made her realize that Cangmuzhai was not an ordinary bandit den, and there might be hidden stories behind it that her father had not yet finished talking about.

Xie Yanlai also noticed that the atmosphere in the village was not right.The people in Cangmuzhai were obviously afraid of the imperial court, but they did not hate the Chu family; when they mentioned Chu Cen, their expressions showed both resentment and indescribable awe.Chu Chao followed these reactions and asked, and Ge Dashi finally told the past of the former village leader Kapok Hong.Back then, a misunderstanding among the Yunzhong County Army caused Chu Cen to kill Kapok Hong by mistake.Afterwards, Chu Cen did not kill everyone in Cangmu Village, but secretly left manpower to protect the old and weak in the village, so that the place could barely survive on the edge of troubled times.Ge Dashi has been carrying the name of a bandit these years, and he has always wanted to find out the military situation in Shuomo and find out who pushed the people on the border into danger.

After hearing this old story, Chu Chao felt uncomfortable.In her eyes, her father has always been an upright general, but the general's sword can also leave irreparable injuries.She did not defend Chu Cen lightly, but only admitted that the Chu family owed Cangmu Village an explanation.Ge Dashi originally thought that the eldest princess would use her status to oppress others, but she didn't expect that the Chu Dynasty was willing to face up to old mistakes, and his attitude finally relaxed.He handed over the clues he had found recently to the Chu Dynasty, saying that there were people in Shuomo frequently testing Wangcheng's defense, and that someone was secretly delivering border defense news for them.

Tie Ying's pursuers quickly surrounded the stronghold.The people sent by Xiao Xun did not intend to give Chu Chao a way to survive, nor did they want to let the clues held by Cangmu Village leak out.There were torches outside the village gate, and the paths in the mountains were blocked. Ge Dashi had to lead the people in the village to fight.Chu Chao did not hide in the house. She asked those who could fight to guard the main road, and asked the old and weak to retreat to the back mountain.Xie Yanlai led people to intercept the pursuers from the side and buy time for the Chu Dynasty to move.The two sides were fighting in the village, with the light of swords and fire intertwining. The secrets that Cangmu Village had hidden for many years were completely exposed with this chase.

In the chaos, the Chu Dynasty was almost cornered by Tie Ying's people.Xie Yanlai rushed into the siege and rescued her from the blade.The two of them retreated to the wooden building side by side, surrounded by shouts of killing, but Chu Chao saw an almost stubborn protection in Xie Yanlai's eyes.Xie Yanlai no longer only stood by her side as a guard or ally. He expressed his deep feelings and told Chu Chao that he was willing to protect her from all dangers in front of him.Chu Chao did not give a lingering response at such a moment, but just clenched the weapon in his hand and fought through the gap with him.

Cangmu Village finally survived the disaster, but everyone knew that Xiao Xun would not stop there.Ge Dashi handed over more clues to the Chu Dynasty and decided to take the best people in the village to follow her to Wangcheng.The Chu Dynasty also saw clearly from this turmoil that his father's serious illness was only one end of the crisis. What was truly terrifying was that Shuo Mo, Xiao Xun and the traitors in Beijing had already reached into the hinterland of Yunzhong County.She can't just be the daughter who returns to her hometown to visit her father. She must connect these scattered clues as soon as possible.At dawn, Cangmuzhai got ready and went down the mountain. Chu Chao, Xie Yanlai and Ge Dashi set foot on the road to Wangcheng. Behind them were the remaining fires that had not yet been extinguished, and in front of them was the approaching army.

Episode 8 plot introduction

After the Chu Dynasty left Beijing, the capital did not become quiet.Xie Yanfang entered the court with the eldest princess's token, trying to stabilize the gap left by the Chu Dynasty's absence.Deng Yi was not willing to give up power easily. One of them used the token to dispatch his old troops, and the other used court rules to suppress others, competing tit-for-tat for military orders and popular support.Xiao Yu was caught in the middle. He had to maintain the dignity of the imperial power, but also had to face temptations from all forces.Xiao Xun looked at the situation of mutual restraint between the capital and the capital, and took advantage of the chaos to cover up his secret collusion with King Shuo Mo.

On the way to Wangcheng, Chu Chao received news from the capital and learned that Xie Yanfang had confronted Deng Yi head-on.She did not look back immediately, but judged that what Xiao Xun really wanted was not a moment of rhetoric in court, but to take advantage of the Yunzhong County Army's instability to cooperate with Shuo Mo's attack.Xie Yanlai also saw the urgency of the situation and urged the team to speed up their journey.The people from Cangmuzhai followed behind. They were not familiar with the power struggle in the imperial court, but they knew that once Wangcheng fell, the people in the border areas would bear the brunt.

Before arriving at Wangcheng, the Chu Dynasty met Liang Qiang, a general who had not yet made any great achievements.Liang Qiang did not have many troops, and was struggling with frontline supplies and city defense.At first, she didn't dare to believe the Chu Dynasty who came suddenly. It wasn't until Zhong Changrong showed up to meet her and confirmed the identity of the eldest princess that Liang Qiang told Wangcheng's true situation.Shuomo's army had already assembled outside the city, and spies had been in and out of nearby villages and towns many times. There was insufficient food and grass in the city, and the morale of the defenders was disrupted by false news coming one after another.Without foreign aid, Wangcheng may not be able to hold on until the main force of Yunzhong County arrives.

Chu Chao did not act like the eldest princess, but first listened to Liang Qiang and Zhong Changrong explain the weak points of the city's defense.Xie Yanlai led people to check the distribution of city gates, granaries and residential buildings, and found that the terrain outside the south gate seemed easy to attack, but could actually be set up. The grain road on the north side was safe on the surface, but had been targeted by enemy spies.The people in Cangmu Village brought by Ge Dashi are familiar with the mountain roads, which is suitable for them to go around to the rear of Shuomo Army.Several people did not know each other at first, but they were temporarily brought together by the Chu Dynasty when Wangcheng was in danger.

The battle in the capital also intensified at the same time.Xie Yanfang used the eldest princess's token to suppress part of the military orders, forcing Deng Yi to explain why he secretly ordered the replacement of generals.Deng Yi refused to admit that he was being used by Xiao Xun, and still tried to suppress Xie Yanfang with his seniority in the DPRK.Xiao Yu felt for the first time in this dispute that if he just sat on the throne and waited for others to decide for him, Da Chu would sooner or later be dragged into the abyss by these people.Xie Yanfang did not talk too much, but only connected Wangcheng's urgent situation with the whereabouts of the eldest princess, letting Xiao Yu understand that the border war could no longer be covered up by the selfish motives of the capital.

Looking inside the city, the Chu Dynasty decided not to passively defend the city.She asked Liang Qiang to continue to maintain the superficial panic in the city and secretly organize the available troops; she asked Zhong Changrong to stabilize the Chu family's old troops to prevent the morale of the army from being scattered due to Chu Cen's serious illness; and she asked Ge Dashi to lead people to find out where the food and grass in Shuomo were.After Xie Yanlai listened to her arrangements, she took the initiative to take over the most dangerous raid mission.Chu Chao looked at the enemy camp getting closer and closer outside the city wall, knowing that if he lost this battle, not only would he not be able to see his father, but Xiao Xun would also be forced to use the hands of foreign enemies to tear apart the Chu border defenses.She summoned everyone to the city tower, made a plan to cut off food and lure the enemy, and prepared to fight an unlosable battle in Wangcheng.

That night, the lights everywhere in the city were lowered, leaving only the secret signals on the towers used to convey orders.The Chu Dynasty asked Liang Qiang to divide the manpower that could be mobilized into several groups, and no one department was allowed to know the overall arrangements alone, so as to prevent the insider from sending out the news again.Xie Yan came and looked back at her before leaving. Chu Chao didn't say much and just handed him the last token.Both of them understood that from this moment on, the Wangcheng defenders, Cangmu Village and the old Yunzhong County troops were tied to the same line. Whoever started to cause chaos would have the whole city collapse.

Episode 9 plot introduction

Looking outside the city, Shuo Mo's army was getting closer and closer, and the people in the city could already hear the sound of war horses and drums from the enemy camp.The Chu Dynasty did not let the defenders attack blindly, but first stabilized the order in the city.She ordered people to move the old and weak into safer inner streets, and asked Liang Qiang to deliberately show that she was short of food and grass at the top of the city, leading the enemy to believe that Wangcheng could not hold out for much longer.Xie Yanlai led people to explore the enemy camp at night, and after confirming the location of Shuomo's granary, he brought the news back to the city.Chu Chao looked at the map and decided to turn the enemy's greed for power into an opportunity to break the situation.

She decided to cut off food supplies and asked Liang Qiang to fake a surrender with a fake map.This arrangement is very risky. Once General Shuo Mo finds out, Liang Qiang may not be able to come back.Liang Qiang did not refuse, but only asked if the Chu Dynasty could really defend the city.Chu Chao told her that Wangcheng was not her only bet, and everyone in the city was behind this map.Liang Qiang left the city with a pretense of surrender, deliberately describing the south gate as the easiest breach, and hinting that the city was about to run out of food and grass.The Shuomo Army was indeed moved and began to mobilize its main force towards the south gate.

At the same time, Xie Yanlai led an elite force out of the side road, and Ge Dashi led everyone in Cangmu Village to the mountain road to meet them.They avoided the enemy patrol and headed towards the Shuomo granary.In the darkness of the night, Xie Yanlai did not rush to light a fire. Instead, he waited for the war drums from the south gate to sound and confirmed that the main enemy force had been lured away by the fake map before ordering a surprise attack.Fire soon broke out from behind the enemy camp, and grain trucks and fodder were connected together. Shuomo's army was in chaos.Wangcheng also took the opportunity to beat drums at the top of the city, and Liang Qiang led the defenders to rush out from the south gate, catching the enemy troops who were originally preparing to attack the city by surprise.

The Chu Dynasty stood on the tower to observe the battle situation and constantly adjusted the flag.She did not let the momentary victory go to her head. She knew that Shuo Mo's army still had the advantage in numbers, and if they pursued too deeply, they might be turned over.Zhong Changrong was ordered to guard the inner city passage to prevent enemy spies from taking advantage of the chaos; the people from Cangmu Village cut off the retreat through the mountain road so that the remaining Shuomo soldiers could not regroup.Xie Yanlai fought a bloody battle in the enemy camp and was injured in many places, but he never slowed down.He knew in his heart that only when the granary burned down could Wangcheng truly get some breathing space.

The night of the breach turned into the night of counterattack.Shuo Mo's army originally thought that the south gate was weak, but they didn't expect that it was the pocket laid by the Chu Dynasty.Liang Qiang led his troops to retreat and then counterattack, Xie Yanlai burned food from the rear to intercept the formation, and Ge Da's corpse blocked the mountain road. With the cooperation of the three groups, the enemy army finally collapsed.The Chu Dynasty did not let people kill deserters indiscriminately, but ordered the defenders to collect prisoners and ordnance, focusing on searching for tokens related to the ghosts in the capital.She knew that if Shuo Mo could grasp Wangcheng's defense so accurately, someone must be delivering the news inside Da Chu.

As daybreak approached, Wangcheng finally became quiet.The people walked out of their shelter and saw the fire outside the city gradually extinguishing, and then they realized that they had guarded the night.Liang Qiang came back injured and revived. The Chu Dynasty did not take credit and asked her to immediately compile the battle report and send it to the capital.Xie Yanlai also returned from the enemy camp. The blood on his body was not dry, but he first looked to see if Chu Chao was okay.Chu Chao supported him and briefly let go of his tense expression that had been tense all night.The victory at Wangcheng allowed Yunzhong County to temporarily escape danger, and also allowed traces of Xiao Xun's secret collusion with Shuo Mo to surface.But she knows very well that the real mole is still in the capital, and the real storm will not stop just because of this victory.

Episode 10 plot introduction

The battle report of Wangcheng's victory was sent back to the capital, and the court hall was silent for a brief moment.Xiao Yu publicly ordered a thorough investigation of the enemy's insiders, and no longer let Wangcheng's military situation be vaguely passed away.Xie Yanfang took advantage of the situation and asked him about his responsibility for changing generals and delaying military orders. Deng Yi was unable to explain for a while.Xiao Xun looked calm on the surface, but he knew in his heart that Shuo Mo's army was defeated too quickly, and many traces that had not been erased in time may be exposed.He did not dare to let the remaining soldiers fall into the hands of Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai, so he immediately secretly ordered Tie Ying to silence him and cut off all clues that could point to him.

On the Wangcheng side, Chu Chao was busy dealing with the aftermath.She asked Liang Qiang to appease the people and repair the city's defenses, and asked Zhong Changrong to check the list of prisoners.Xie Yanlai found some unusual marks on the maps captured from the battlefield. One of them, a place called Weijia Village, made him uneasy.This name coincides with the fire scene he has repeatedly dreamed about for many years, and is also related to the lost memory of his childhood.Chu Chao noticed something strange about him and did not press him. He just asked someone to put the map away and prepare to investigate further after the situation stabilized.

Xie Yanlai finally confessed to Chu Chao.Many years ago, he was not the bastard of the Xie family, but a young man who was involved in a sea of ​​​​fire during a clan accident.At that time, the Chu Dynasty had no intention of rescuing him, but it had long been forgotten.Xie Yanlai had kept that memory in her heart all these years. It was not until she saw the sign of Weijia Village after the Wangcheng War that she realized that her life experience might be connected with Shuo Mo, the ghosts in the capital, and the old events of the Chu family.After hearing this, Chu Chao did not regard him as a trouble, and only told him that since the clues had appeared, they would investigate them one by one.

The relationship between the two also changed after this confession.Xie Yanlai was no longer just an ally who charged for her, and Chu Chao no longer suppressed all the pain alone.She knew that Xie Yanlai's past had also been torn apart by power and conspiracy, so she could better understand why he always forced himself like a knife that refused to be sheathed.Xie Yanlai understood that the Chu Dynasty did not only live for revenge, she also wanted to protect her father, Yunzhong County and those who had nowhere to escape in the war.During the brief period of calm, neither of them made many promises, but they had already put each other into the road ahead.

News came from the capital that Xiao Yu's intention to thoroughly investigate the inner ghost met with heavy resistance.Some people tried to say that the Battle of Wangcheng was the result of the border troops' own actions, while others suppressed the fact that Shuo Mo's defeated soldiers were silenced.After Chu Chao read the secret letter, he judged that Xiao Xun had already begun to clean up the mess.She cannot stay in Wangcheng for too long and must return to Yunzhong County to see her father as soon as possible. At the same time, she must hand over clues about Weijia Village and collaborators to trusted people for separate investigation.Ge Dashi also brought news that Tieying's people were found moving along Cangmuzhai, which showed that Xiao Xun had not given up the pursuit of her.

When everyone was preparing to return to Yunzhong County, the worst news suddenly came.The condition of the old general Chu Cen took a turn for the worse, he became blind, and then he fell heavily.When Chu Chao heard the news, he could hardly hold the map in his hand.She ran all the way, broke the situation, and defended the city, just to see her father before it was too late, but fate still hung the knife over the Chu family's head just like in the previous life.Xie Yan came to support her and reminded her that she should not be messy at this time.Chu Chao suppressed the fear in his heart and immediately ordered to set off.Before Wangcheng's victory had time to breathe, a new crisis in Yunzhong County was already approaching.

She handed over the sign of Weijiacun to the trusted soldiers to take away, while she traveled overnight.

Episode 11 plot introduction

Chu Chao rushed back to Yunzhong County with the aftermath of Wangcheng's victory. The first thing he saw was not the news of his father's recovery, but the almost breathless silence in front of the bed.Chu Cen was blind, his old injuries recurred, and his whole figure seemed drained of strength by years of fighting overnight.Chu Chaoqiang managed not to lose his composure in front of everyone. He only held his father's hand and told him that Wangcheng was defended, Shuo Mo had temporarily retreated, and Yunzhong County was still there.When Chu Cen heard her daughter's voice, she felt as if she had finally waited for the person she felt most at ease to come home.

Everyone in Cangmuzhai also followed the Chu Dynasty to Yunzhong County.The leader of the village, Aunt Ge, took off her years of disguise in front of Chu Cen, and her life experience was revealed.She is not an ordinary village leader, but a female general named Alan Ruoying who came from Shuomo's old tribe. She is also deeply involved with the biological mother of the Chu Dynasty, Kapok Hong.Chu Chao originally thought that Cangmuzhai was just a group of people who were accidentally injured in his father's old case, but he did not expect that his mother's name, old grievances from the border areas, and military affairs in Shuomo were all linked together by this village.She heard how Kapok Hong was involved in the dispute between the two countries, and how Chu Cen silently made amends over the years. The resentment and pain in her heart were hard to separate for a while.

Chu Cen's condition is not just an old injury.After examination by the military medical officer, it was confirmed that there was a highly toxic poison called Qian Ji Burning Blood in his body.The poison has been latent for many years, and once it is activated, it will swallow up the blood, damage the eyes, and completely bring down the person.Xie Yanlai's expression suddenly changed when he heard the name of the drug, because this drug was once given to him by Xie Yanfang. It was a life-saving drug in name, but in fact it might be a secret method to control political opponents.When the clues came together, he finally realized that he might have been used as a pawn by his brother, and even indirectly killed the father whom the Chu Dynasty cared about most.

Xie Yanlai was so disheartened that he asked to die in front of the Chu Dynasty and Chu Cen's old men.He didn't defend himself, nor did he shift the responsibility to Xie Yanfang. He just felt that if the poison really entered Chu Cen's body because of him, he would have no shame in standing next to Chu Chao anymore.The Chu Dynasty did not immediately forgive him, nor did he let anyone kill him.She was in pain more than anyone else, but she knew that the person who actually poisoned the plot was still in the capital. If Xie Yanlai died in guilt at this time, it would only benefit Xie Yanfang and Xiao Xun.She locked up Xie Yanlai and ordered people to investigate the source of Qianji Ranxue. At the same time, she stayed in front of Chu Cen's bed, waiting for her father to say another word.

Before Yunzhong County could recover from his critical illness and the truth about his life experience, the Shuomo Army attacked again.Xiao Xun secretly colluded with foreign enemies, hoping to tear open the border defense while Chu Cen was seriously ill and the morale of the army was low.The Chu Dynasty had to go to war for his father.When she put on her armor, Chu Cen fumbled and handed her the old order, telling her not only to fight for the Chu family, but also to fight for the people outside the city.Chu Chao held back his tears and led his troops out of the camp.She knew that this battle was not a small victory for Wangcheng, but a life-or-death test of whether her father could hold on and whether Yunzhong County could be saved.

Chu Chao stood outside the military tent for a long time. He heard the soldiers in each battalion discussing Chu Cen's illness in low voices. He also heard that some people were resentful because of Xie Yanlai's involvement with poison.She did not avoid these voices, but asked Zhong Changrong to summon all the military generals to publicly explain Chu Cen's condition, the situation that led to the opportunity to burn blood, and Shuo Mo's recurrence.She did not allow anyone to use her father's name to fight privately, nor did she allow anyone to use Xie Yanlai's unexplained charges as a reason to vent their anger.Yunzhong County has just lost its backbone. If the internal forces disperse first at this time, the enemy will not have to attack the city.Chu Chao hung her father's old order in front of the commander's case, accepted all questions, and told the generals that from this moment on, she would temporarily take over the military orders.Everyone watched her transform from daughter to coach overnight, and finally understood that the flag of the Chu family had not fallen yet.

Xie Yanlai was detained in a side tent. When he heard the military orders outside, he felt more miserable than being tortured.He wanted to see Chu Chao, but he was afraid that opening his mouth would only aggravate her pain.A Le was ordered to bring medicine in and couldn't help but ask him why he didn't defend anything.Xie Yanlai only said that it would be better to carry the unexplainable debt first, and it would not be too late to die after the truth is found out.A Le brought these words to Chu Chao, who was silent for a long time, and finally asked someone to send extra guards to prevent anyone from hurting him privately.She is not soft-hearted, but knowing that Xie Yanlai is alive can continue to dig down the poisonous thread hidden by Xie Yanfang.

Episode 12 plot introduction

After the Chu Dynasty went to war on behalf of his father, Shuo Mo's army mounted a force on the border to suppress the city.The enemy knew that Chu Cen was critically ill and deliberately spread the news that the commander of Yunzhong County was no longer able to command the troops, hoping to undermine the morale of the army first.The Chu Dynasty did not rush to fight, but let each battalion patrol with drums as usual. All military orders were issued in the name of Chu Cen to stabilize the veterans who had followed their father for many years.She herself took Zhong Changrong, Liang Qiang and Cangmu Village to reorganize the terrain, preparing to lead the Shuo Mo Army into a disadvantageous position.

After the old story of kapok red spread in the army, Aunt Ge no longer hid her identity.She admitted that she had lived with her reputation as a bandit all these years in order to find out the truth about how she was exploited between Shuomo and the Dachu border.Now that Shuo Mo did it again, she didn't want to stand in the dark any longer.When Chu Chao saw her wearing armor and mounting a horse, he felt a complicated feeling of closeness and strangeness in his heart.This woman is connected to her mother's past, and like another shadow left by her mother, she returns to the Chu family when the war approaches.

The Shuomo army's offensive was more fierce than when Wangcheng was attacked.Chu Chao led his army to defend the front line, but soon discovered that the enemy was not just trying to seize the city, but wanted to force her to leave the camp, giving the hidden secrets in the capital and the army an opportunity to attack Chu Cen.She changed her deployment before the battle and sent Liang Qiang to contain the front, while she led her light cavalry to cut off the enemy's flanks in a roundabout way.Although Xie Yanlai still bears the responsibility of poisoning, he asks for a fight at a critical moment.He did not seek the trust of the Chu Dynasty, but only sought to atone for his sins on the battlefield.The Chu Dynasty finally allowed him to join the army, but gave him the most dangerous position.

When the battle was tense, Kapok Hong chose to rush into the enemy camp alone with explosives.She knew that once the main force of the Shuomo Army pressed forward, the Yunzhong County garrison would be dragged to death. Only by blowing up the enemy's forward equipment could the Chu Dynasty gain a chance to win.When Chu Chao discovered her intention, it was too late to stop her, and he could only watch the figure rush into the fire.After the loud noise, the enemy camp was in chaos, and the Shuomo army's offensive was abruptly cut off.The Chu Dynasty stabilized its horses in the shock, led its troops to counterattack, and forced the enemy troops back several miles.

In the camp, Chu Cen heard the drums on the front line fading away, and then heard the news of victory coming back, and finally supported someone to carry the war drums to the tent.He couldn't see the battlefield, but he still used his last strength to beat the drum and cheer.When the drum beat reached the front line, Chu Chao knew that it was the last journey left to her by her father.By the time she returned to camp with the news of victory, Chu Cen was exhausted.Kapok Hong died in battle, Chu Cen also left, and Chu Chao lost his parents on the same day.She did not cry immediately, but knelt in front of the tent to receive the military order, suppressing all the grief in her chest.Yunzhong County cannot be in chaos yet, and the Chu family's feud is not over yet.

Before Kapok Hong rushed to the enemy camp, she handed over an old ornament to the Chu Dynasty.It was a relic of his mother that the Chu Dynasty had never seen when he was a child. The edges were blackened by the flames of war, but the old patterns could still be seen.Chu Chao had no time to ask more, the battlefield had separated them again.When the explosion came, she wanted to chase after her on horseback, but she was stopped by Zhong Changrong.The fire ahead is too fierce, and anyone who rushes in will only die in vain.For the first time, Chu Chao clearly felt that he had just recovered his mother's shadow and lost her again in the same war.But the enemy was still ahead, and she couldn't let the opportunity that Kapokhong had bought with her life go to waste.

When Chu Cen played the drums, many veterans in the camp became red-eyed.The sound of the drum was not urgent, but it struck everyone's heart one by one, just like the old general still standing in front of the battle.Chu Chao heard the sound of drums on the front line and immediately understood that his father had given up his last strength to the battlefield.She ordered the entire army to press forward and personally led the cavalry to cut off the enemy's retreat route.Xie Yanlai held on to his flank despite his injuries, preventing Shuo Mo's army from re-encircling him.When the war was over, Chu Chao returned to the camp and saw the war drums parked in front of the tent, and finally fell to his knees.She did not cry out, but rested her forehead on the drum head, saying a silent farewell to her father as she did when she was a child.

Episode 13 plot introduction

After Chu Cen and Kapok Hong died in battle, Yunzhong County fell into deep sorrow.While the Chu Dynasty was taking care of the military affairs, it also blocked the details of his father's poisoning to prevent Xiao Xun and Xie Yanfang from making further fuss.But the news still spread back to the capital, and Grand Tutor Deng Yi took the opportunity to spread rumors that Xie Yanlai had brought Qianji Ranxue to Chu Cen, which led to the death of the old general from poison.Xie Yanlai was already feeling extremely guilty because of what happened to her brother. After hearing these words, she had no intention of defending herself and actually walked onto the long street to plead guilty, carrying a thorn stick on her back.

Both sides of the long street were crowded with civilians and military families.Some people believe that Xie Yanlai saved the whole city in Wangcheng, while others are resentful because of Chu Cen's death.Xie Yanlai took three steps and knelt down, and his body was quickly bruised with blood from the thorn sticks.He did not ask for forgiveness from the Chu Dynasty, but only wanted to bear all the resentment on himself, so as to prevent the old Yunzhong County tribe from completely turning against the Xie family due to the poison incident.When Chu Chao arrived, he saw him almost kneeling in the snow and mud, and the anger and pain in his heart surged up at the same time.

The Chu Dynasty did not clean up everything for Xie Yanlai in public, nor did they let everyone beat him to death.She recounted Chu Cen's last battle, Xie Yan's arrival to rescue the army, Wangcheng's burning of food, and Cangmu Village's escort, and other achievements one by one. She also asked the medical officer to explain that the opportunity to burn blood had been lurking for a long time, and it was not Xie Yan's sudden arrival.She admitted that Xie Yanlai was being used by Xie Yanfang, but she did not allow the real murderer to hide in the dark and watch them kill each other.The long street gradually became quiet. Xie Yanlai looked up and saw Chu Chao, and finally understood that she had not forgotten the death of her parents, but was unwilling to swing the knife at the wrong person.

At the same time, the defeated Xiao Xun did not stop.He intercepted and killed the messengers conveying military information, forged an urgent report that Yunzhong County was out of control, and cooperated with Deng Yili to mobilize troops to attack the Chu capital in the name of escort.What Xiao Xun wants is not a city or a place on the border, but to seize the center of Chu again while the Chu Dynasty is in mourning and the court is out of balance.On the surface, Deng Yi protected the young emperor, but secretly he kept paving the way for Xiao Xun, hoping to exchange chaos for his own power.

The little emperor Xiao Yu has already seen that the situation is not good.Although he was young, he knew that once the palace guards fell into Xiao Xun's hands, he would never have a chance to stand up again.In times of crisis, he privately entrusted the Imperial Guard token to Xie Yanfang.Xie Yanfang accepted the order and outwardly assisted the young emperor, but she had other plans in her heart.He took advantage of the chaos to coax Xiao Yu into writing an abdication edict, hoping to turn the young emperor, Xiao Xun and the Chu Dynasty into pawns in his scheme.A storm is coming in the capital of Chu. The Chu Dynasty has not yet gotten over the grief of its parents in Yunzhong County, but the capital's sword has already been raised on the imperial power.

After the Chu Dynasty rescued Xie Yanlai, he did not let him return to him immediately, but ordered him to be sent to a military doctor for treatment.Xie Yanlai knelt for too long, the wound on his knee split open, and the thorns on his back were embedded in his flesh and blood.Chu Chao glanced through the curtain and turned to leave. She was afraid that if she stayed for a moment longer, all her suppressed emotions would come out.There are still many people outside waiting for her to make a decision. Chu Cen’s old subordinates want to appease her, Kapok Hong’s funeral affairs need to be dealt with, and the military intelligence in the capital is urging her to return.She could only put her selfishness to the end for the time being.

Xiao Xun's method of forging military intelligence soon showed negative results.Several channels of messengers came back with conflicting news. Some said that Yunzhong County was defeated, some said that the Chu Dynasty had troops and would not return, and some claimed that the young emperor was kidnapped by traitorous ministers.The Chu Dynasty saw at a glance that this was to confuse the judgment of the defenders everywhere, so that the localities did not know whose orders to follow.She personally wrote the military report and issued it simultaneously with the old seal of Chu Cen and the order of the eldest princess, requesting that only official military symbols should be recognized at the passes along the way and not be transferred by rumors.After Xie Yanlai heard this, she stood up and asked to be followed back to Beijing.Chu Chao did not refuse, but only asked him to remember that returning to Beijing was not to plead guilty, but to drag out the person who really killed his father.

Episode 14 plot introduction

When the Chu Dynasty learned that Xiao Xun was approaching the Chu capital in the name of protecting the emperor, he immediately withdrew from Yunzhong County and returned to the capital.She did not take all the old members of the Chu family with her, but first arranged for the Cangmuzhai brothers to escort her cousin Chu Tang and others to the village.The Chu family bloodline could no longer be wiped out like in the previous life. This was a decision she made before her parents died.Chu Tang did not want to just be a protected person, and took the initiative to participate in delivering messages before leaving.Chu Chao understood that his cousin had a soft temper but was tough, so he put a hidden line in her hands.

In the capital, the relationship between Xie Yanfang and Deng Yi is also changing.The two were originally on guard against each other, but now they temporarily turned against each other and formed an alliance because Xiao Xun forced the palace.Xie Yanfang was preparing to draft an edict to accuse Xiao Xun of treason, turning Xiao Xun from a protector into a rebel; Deng Yi wanted to use this to keep his position in the court.Xiao Yu is trapped between layers of calculations. Once the abdication edict falls into Xie Yanfang's hands, the young emperor will become a puppet that can be pushed up or pulled down at any time.

Chu Chao did not return to the palace directly, but secretly sneaked into the Xiaonan Palace with Xie Yanlai.Xiao Xun's father, Xiao Hong, is still ambitious, but is more cautious than his son.He wanted to take advantage of the chaos and reap the benefits. He didn't want to be known as a rebel, but he also wanted to use the Chu Dynasty's military morale and the name of the eldest princess to pave the way for the Xiaonan Palace.Chu Chao did not show any timidity when he entered the mansion. Instead, he sat down generously and allowed Xiao Hong to test him.Xiao Hong brought up the so-called coveted crown prince concubine, implying that as long as the Chu Dynasty switched to the royal palace, the remaining lineage of the Chu family could be preserved.

After hearing this, Chu Chao did not get angry, but calmly refused.She told Xiao Hong that the imperial court had already posted a secret sentinel of the Longwei Army, and every move of the Xiaonan Palace was under control.It is difficult to tell whether this statement is true or false, but it hits Xiao Hong's suspicious weakness.Xiao Hong is not afraid of the obvious weapons, but he is afraid that after years of hard work, he will eventually be buried by Xiao Xun's impulsiveness.The calmer Chu Chao became, the less he dared to judge how many trump cards she had in her hand.

Xie Yanlai was protecting Chu Chao in the dark, and saw how she suppressed the palace's momentum with a few words.He knew that Chu Chao had just lost his parents, but he did not let his grief drag him down.She hid all the pain under her sleeves and gradually pushed Xiao Xun, Xiao Hong, Xie Yanfang and Deng Yi into positions of mutual suspicion.After the secret talk in the palace, Xiao Hong still refused to give in, but in his heart he had begun to recalculate Xiao Xun's value.Chu Chao did not look back when she left the palace. She knew that as long as Xiao Hong became suspicious, Xiao Xun's escort army would first split from the inside.

Before sneaking into Xiaonan Prince's Mansion, Chu Chao asked Xie Yanlai to explore the secret passage in the mansion first.Xiaonan Palace has been in operation for many years, and the guards are not very strict in the open. The real dangers are the private soldiers and the dead soldiers around Xiao Hong in the dark.Xie Yanlai was familiar with the defense habits of the family mansion and quickly figured out several escape routes.After hearing this, the Chu Dynasty only brought a few people into the mansion and left the large group of people outside to respond.It's not that she's not afraid, but she knows that facing an old fox like Xiao Hong, the more people there are, the easier it is to see what is true and what is false.She must use the smallest array to show the most stable confidence.

When Xiao Hong tested Chu Chao, he mentioned Chu Cen's death and Xiao Xun's old relationship several times, trying to find flaws in her face.Chu Chao let him poke the sore spot, his expression never changing.She said that if Xiao Xun was really capable, he would not hide behind his father to take advantage of the palace's reputation; if Xiao Hong really wanted to protect Xiaonan, he should see clearly who would drag the palace to death.Xie Yanlai heard these words from behind the screen, and her hand holding the knife slowly relaxed.Chu Chao didn't need him to block every insult for her. She could already push the other party to the point of no return.

Episode 15 plot introduction

Xiao Xun was in a hurry to march, and on the way he detained the Chu Cen family members who were carrying messages for the Chu Dynasty, hoping to use Chu Tang as a bargaining chip to force the Chu Dynasty to change its mind.After Chu Tang was brought to the camp, he did not show any obvious resistance, but instead followed Xiao Xun's words and pretended to cater to him.Xiao Xun thought that she was just a girl from a branch of the Chu family and it was not difficult to handle her, so he relaxed his guard against her.However, Chu Tang secretly took note of the deployment of defenses in the camp, and passed the news to Xiaoman and others in Cangmu Village while the guards were changing.

Xiaoman sneaked into Xiao Xun's camp with the Cangmuzhai brothers and joined forces with Chu Tangli and Yingwai.Chu Tang looked weak on the surface, but he didn't hesitate when he actually took action.She first lured the guards away, and then tried to trick the people around Xiao Xun into thinking that there was something wrong with the letter from the palace.There was chaos in the camp, and Xiaoman took the opportunity to seize the seal.It wasn't until Xiao Xun found out that the seal was missing that he realized that Chu Tang had been stalling for time from the beginning.He was furious, but he was counterattacked by Cangmu Village and the Chu family's secret line. The bargaining chip originally used to threaten the Chu Dynasty became his own flaw.

In the Xiaonan Palace, the Chu Dynasty continued to put pressure on Xiao Hong.She did not reveal the news about Xiao Xun's seizure of the seal immediately, but kept letting Xiao Hong see that the situation was not good for the palace.Xie Yanfang led his troops in the capital in a high-profile manner, as if he was ready to attack the rebels in the name of the young emperor at any time; while the Chu Dynasty calmly negotiated terms in the palace, forcing Xiao Hong to choose between his son and the entire palace.Both sides seem to be doing their own thing, but in fact they cooperate very well.

Xiao Hong finally wavered after weighing the pros and cons.He knew that once Xiao Xun failed, the Xiaonan Palace would be implicated; if he retreated at this time and accepted the title of King of Zhen, he could at least keep the foundation of the Palace.In order to ensure a smooth future, Deng Yi drafted a decree to exempt Xiao Hong from the crime, gradually placing all the blame on Xiao Xun alone.Xiao Xun has changed from a guardian to a proton. The person who used to think he was in control of the overall situation finally tasted the feeling of being abandoned by his relatives and allies.

The Chu Dynasty did not relax because Xiao Xun was temporarily restrained.She knew that Xiao Xun was the best at enduring humiliation and pretending. As long as he was given a chance, he would drag everyone into the abyss like he did in his previous life.She asked Chu Tang and Cangmuzhai to retreat to a safe place first, and then ordered people to keep an eye on the movements of the Xiaonan Palace.Xie Yanlai became increasingly silent after this round of changes.The shadow of the conspiracy still weighed on his heart. He didn't want to continue to be his brother's shadow, and he didn't want Chu Chao to bear the Xie family's sins every step of the way.After Xiao Xun was taken as a hostage, Xie Yanlai finally decided to return to Gaoyang and personally find out the truth about Xie Yanfang and the poison.

After Chu Tang succeeded in seizing the seal, he did not evacuate immediately.She knew that the big seal was just the first step to slow down Xiao Xun. If the morale of the soldiers in the camp was not disrupted, Xiao Xun would be able to regroup soon.She deliberately released the news that Xiaonan Palace had reached an agreement with the Chu Dynasty, and Xiao Hong was ready to give up Xiao Xun in exchange for the title of King of Zhen.The generals in the camp were originally dissatisfied with Xiao Xun's repeated defeats, but they were shaken after hearing these words.Xiao Xun wanted to force it down, but found that without the big seal, his military orders were not as smooth as before.Taking advantage of the chaos, Chu Tang took Xiaoman and others out of the camp and sent the news back to the Chu Dynasty.

When Xiao Xun was held as a hostage, he still tried to impress the Chu Dynasty with his old feelings.He said that he had really wanted to be with her, and also said that if Xie Yanfang and Deng Yi had not interfered, the two would not be where they are today.After hearing this, Chu Chao felt ridiculous.In his previous life, he strangled her with his own hands, and in this life, he caused her parents to die in war and the border to be in turmoil, but now he still wants to blame others.She didn't argue with him and just asked him to be escorted off.Xiao Xun watched her go away, and finally realized that the Chu Dynasty who had been willing to disobey his father for him had died in the palace in his previous life.

Episode 16 plot introduction

When Xie Yanlai returned to Gaoyang, the Xie family still maintained the dignity of the family.Xie Yanfang was as gentle and calm as usual, as if the storm in the court, the bloodshed and Chu Cen's death had nothing to do with him.The more Xie Yanlai saw this calm look, the colder he felt.He no longer regarded his brother's words as the only answer as before. Instead, he started investigating bit by bit from old pharmacies, correspondence books and Gaoyang's private treasury, trying to find the real source of the blood.

During the investigation, Xie Yanlai discovered that Xie Yanfang was using a tractor to burn the life of a child named Axiang.Ah Xiang is from Weijia Village and is one of the few children who survived the fire.This name once again dragged Xie Yanlai back into those fragmented nightmares.The fire scene, the crying, the moment of being rescued, and the hand that Chu Chao once accidentally extended, all the memories are connected with Weijiacun.Xie Yanlai finally realized that his brother not only used poison to control Chu Cen, but also might have been holding the old cases in Weijiacun in his hands as a bargaining chip to contain him.

Xie Yanfang realized that Xie Yan came to investigate too deeply, and still tried to suppress him with brotherly love.He said that it was not easy for the Xie family to get to where they are today. Children of aristocratic families can never act based on their likes and dislikes.Xie Yanlai didn't want to listen to these high-sounding words anymore.He could accept his humble background, and he could accept being ignored in the Xie family for many years, but he could not accept his brother treating the lives of innocent children and Chu Cen as a bargaining chip for power.For the first time, the two brothers truly tore off the coat of warmth, and each saw the determination in the other's eyes.

In the court, because Deng Yi was afraid of the power of the Xie family, he teamed up with Xiao Xun's old troops to strongly oppose the appointment of Xie Yanlai as a general.Some people say that his origins are unknown, some bring up old cases that sparked blood, and some use Chu Cen's death to incite resentment among the border troops.Xie Yanlai did not ask the Xie family to speak for him, nor did he borrow Xie Yanfang's reputation again.He asked himself to be the General of the Guard in front of the palace and vowed to kill King Shuomo within half a year, establishing himself based on his military exploits rather than his family status.Xiao Yu looked at this man who had made meritorious service in Wangcheng and finally awarded him the title of "Zhunxing".

Before leaving, Chu Chao personally put on the jersey left by Chu Cen for Xie Yanlai.That shirt carries the trust of the old members of the Chu family, and also carries Chu Cen’s unfinished trust.Xie Yanlai knew that he was carrying too many old debts and did not dare to promise to return easily.Chu Chao told him that coming back alive was more important than any apology.Wind and sand rolled up outside the city gate, and the two hugged each other briefly and then separated.Xie Yan came to lead an expedition, while the Chu Dynasty stayed in the capital, preparing to clean up the court in his absence and dig out the rot layer by layer hidden in Da Chu.

When Ah Xiang was brought to Xie Yanlai, he was so thin that almost only one pair of eyes remained.The child does not fully understand the grudges between adults. He only knows that he has been relying on a bitter medicine to survive these years. Every time Xie Yanfang comes, the people around him will be extremely nervous.When Xie Yanlai asked about old events in Weijia Village, Ah Xiang could only tell intermittently scenes of getting angry, crying and being carried away.Those fragments fit perfectly with Xie Yanlai's nightmare, making it impossible for him to deceive himself anymore.Xie Yanfang saved Ah Xiang not out of mercy, but because she regarded the child as a key that could stab him at any time.

Before leaving Gaoyang, Xie Yanlai visited the Xie Family Ancestral Hall.The solemn memorial tablets and constant incense made him feel heavy and distant.Now he stood there, not kneeling for the first time.It's not that he doesn't recognize the Xie family bloodline, but he doesn't want these tablets to become an excuse for Xie Yanfang to control living people.Xie Yanfang stood outside the door and looked at him. There was a threshold between the brothers, like two roads that could no longer run parallel.When Xie Yanlai turned around and left, she had already decided to use her military exploits and choices to completely get rid of the fate arranged by Xie Yanfang.

Episode 17 plot introduction

After Xie Yanlai's expedition, the Chu Dynasty began to vigorously reorganize the capital.She knew that Xie Yanfang had been waiting for her and Deng Yi to openly quarrel, so she took advantage of the situation and assumed a tit-for-tat stance with Deng Yi.At court meetings, the two often argued over political orders, and there were also rumors among the people that the eldest princess and the Taifu were at odds.But those who really knew the truth understood that Chu Chao and Deng Yi had already secretly reached an arrangement to lure the snake out of its hole.They deliberately made Xie Yanfang think that the internal strife in the court was intensifying, so as to attract corrupt officials who were dependent on the aristocratic families.

The Chu Dynasty supported Mu Xiaoman to take charge of the Imperial Guard Department.Mu Xiaoman was born in Cangmu Village, and was not bound by the old rules of aristocratic families in the capital. He worked quickly and ruthlessly, so he was suitable for investigating those intricate and hidden clues.As soon as she took office, she forcibly interrogated Zheng Xia's fraud case, and followed the clues to find out the irrefutable evidence that Deng Yi's disciples had framed him.Deng Yi was furious on the surface, but in fact he gave in according to the arrangements of the Chu Dynasty and pushed those under his command who had long been out of control to the front.When Xie Yanfang saw Deng Yi being frustrated, she really began to relax her vigilance.

Immediately afterwards, the Chu Dynasty continued to pursue the case of false accounts by Du Fucheng of Shaofu Temple.Du Fucheng has been responsible for money, food and utensils for many years, and his books are extremely clean, but many corrupt officials are implicated behind the scenes.The Chu Dynasty did not just catch a scapegoat, but asked the Gongwei Department to spread out the account books, the whereabouts of the treasury money, and the transactions between various governments.Those who originally wanted to rely on the protection of the aristocratic family to escape discovered for the first time that the eldest princess did not act according to the rules they were familiar with.She is not merciful and is not afraid of offending people. She just depends on where the evidence falls.

The people in Beijing soon heard about the serial crimes committed by the Imperial Guard.Some people were refunded the money they had owed for many years, and some saw officials wandering the streets being taken away. As a result, the reputation of the Chu Dynasty rose rapidly.Xie Yanfang praised the eldest princess for her skill on the surface, but secretly she became more and more wary.He originally thought that the Chu Dynasty would only use Chu Cen's death to win the sympathy of the border troops, but he did not expect that she could take action at the same time to cleanse the people of the capital and the officialdom.If he continues to let things go, there will be more and more people around the young emperor who can really rely on, and the Xie family's space to control the court will become smaller and smaller.

The Chu Dynasty was not obsessed with folk praise.Late at night, she would still read the military reports sent back by Xie Yanlai from the front line.The situation at Changping Pass was tense, and King Shuomo refused to engage in a decisive battle. Instead, he continued to harass the grain road with small groups of cavalry.Xie Yanlai wrote briefly in the letter, saying only that everything was okay.But Chu Chao could see his fatigue from between the lines.While she continued to clean up the court, she secretly asked people to replenish food and fodder for the front line.She knew that every time a mole was removed from the capital, the front line would have less to worry about.

After Mu Xiaoman took charge of the Imperial Guard, the first resistance he encountered came from the old officials in the capital.They looked down upon a woman who came from a small village, and did not believe that she would dare to touch a disciple of an aristocratic family.Mu Xiaoman did not argue with them. He just put the first batch of witnesses and account books in the hall, and checked whoever blocked them first.Within a few days, the front door of the Gongwei Office was lined with people calling for grievances, and there were also piles of messages of mercy from various governments.Chu Chao didn't read any of them, and only asked people to sort the evidence in order of importance.What she wants is not a temporary shock, but to make the capital believe again that the powerful will pay the price for their wrong doings.

Xie Yanfang sent someone to test the Chu Dynasty and sent several lists of names that seemed to help her clean up the court.There are indeed corrupt officials on the list, but they are all side characters that the Xie family is ready to abandon.The Chu Dynasty accepted the list, but did not arrest the people in his order. Instead, he investigated the relationship between these people and the Xie family's accountant.Xie Yanfang quickly understood that she had not taken the bait, and her smile became even deeper.He began to regard the Chu Dynasty as his true opponent, rather than the survivors who had relied on rebirth and the Chu family's reputation to get to where they are today.The Chu Dynasty also knew that the two sides had begun to make moves with each other across the court.

Episode 18 plot introduction

Outside Changping Pass, Xie Yanlai finally faced a real fierce battle.Shuomo's army was familiar with the wind and sand on the border, and often attacked at night, and then retreated to areas where it was difficult to pursue them during the day.Xie Yanlai did not rush to win, but first stabilized each camp.He reorganized his troops using the familiar banners of Chu Cen's old army, and used the Wangcheng experience that Liang Qiang had left him for customs defense.After several small battles, Shuo Mo's army discovered that the new General Wei was not just a warrior. They began to adjust their strategies in an attempt to lure him away from the main pass.

In the capital, A Le came to do divination for Xie Yan, but a bloody disaster suddenly appeared in the divination.A Le didn't dare to hide it and hurriedly told Chu Chao.Chu Chao turned pale after hearing this, but he was not held back by fear like before.She asked people to reconfirm the supplies and reinforcements at Changping Pass, and also ordered the Gongwei Department to strictly investigate whether anyone in the capital was delivering military information to Shuomo.Every time Xie Yanlai was in danger on the front line, it might not be an accident, but someone in the capital deliberately sent his marching route away.

Chu Chao prayed for Xie Yanlai in the courtyard, still holding an unfinished case file in his hand.She is no longer a woman in the palace who only waits for news, nor is she the daughter of the Chu family who was led by Xiao Xun in her previous life.She wanted to protect Xie Yan from the knife behind her back in the capital, and she also wanted to protect the front line of food and military power.Deng Yi saw her making arrangements all night, and finally understood that the Chu Dynasty was not just concerned about Xie Yanlai out of affection, she was helping a shaky court back on track bit by bit.

Xie Yanlai also felt the support from the capital at Changping Pass.The grain road was repaired in time, several suspicious heralds were replaced, and Shuo Mo's army set up ambushes several times but failed to work.He guessed that Chu Chao was clearing the way for him from behind, and he became more and more afraid to slack off.During the night attack, he personally led his men to recapture a beacon occupied by the enemy. He suffered new injuries, but finally figured out the movements of King Shuomo's main force.As long as he has another chance, he can force the enemy into a decisive battle.

However, Xie Yanfang did not want to see Xie Yanlai stand firm with his military exploits.The stronger Xie Yanlai becomes, the less he is at the mercy of the Xie family, and the more likely he is to find out the truth about Weijiacun and Qian Ji Ranxue.Xie Yanfang secretly mobilized his old troops and began to lead the frontline military situation into a more dangerous situation.Although the Chu Dynasty noticed something was going on in the capital, they could not get hold of Xie Yanfang for the time being.She could only continue to suppress the court and wait for decisive news from the front.The news in Changping Pass was getting tighter, and both Xie Yanlai and Chu Chao knew that the real killing was already waiting in the next battle.

The battle reports from Changpingguan became shorter and shorter, and the Chu Dynasty became more and more uneasy.Xie Yanlai never wrote about hardships in his letters. The more steadily he wrote, the more it showed that the front line was dangerous.She asked Ah Le to collect each letter by date, and then personally checked the food allocation and scout reports, and finally discovered that the route records for two days had been changed.The changes were so subtle that if she wasn't familiar with Xie Yanlai's marching habits, she would hardly be able to tell.The Chu Dynasty immediately ordered Mu Xiaoman to secretly investigate the official responsible for the transfer of military reports. The Gongwei Department followed the clues and caught a small official who had close contacts with the Xie family branch.

At first, the petty officer was just greedy for money when he bit him to death. It wasn't until Mu Xiaoman found the hidden paints and code books that he revealed that someone had been buying copies of military newspapers for a long time.Chu Chao did not disclose the matter immediately. She was worried about alerting others and asked Xie Yanfang to stop early.She mixed the fake military newspaper into the next batch of documents to see where the wrong information would be sent.At the same time, she secretly sent another secret order to Xie Yanlai, reminding him that the ambush outside Changping Pass was likely to come from Beijing.The front line is full of wind and sand, and the capital is also full of murderous intent.

Episode 19 plot introduction

In order to monopolize military power, Xie Yanfang finally reached out to the front line.He had an affair with Shuo Mo, set up an ambush at Xinggu Pass, and secretly influenced Liang Qiang's troop deployment.Zhong Changrong was besieged when he was ordered to assist, but Liang Qiang delayed rescue because he received the wrong military order, causing Zhong Changrong to be seriously injured.After learning about it, Xie Yanlai led his troops to rush for reinforcements, only to find that the enemy troops were already waiting on the road they must pass.The Shuomo army attacked from the front and back, and the formation of Dachu's reinforcements was torn apart. Xie Yanlai could only lead his men to break through.

This battle was extremely fierce.Xie Yanlai originally wanted to rescue Zhong Changrong and then join forces to guard the outskirts of Wangcheng, but the enemy seemed to know every step of his plan in advance.The grain road was cut off, the messengers were intercepted, and several beacons lost their sound at the same time.Xie Yanlai realized that there must be internal support in the army, but it was too late to rearrange his defenses.In order to preserve the remaining army, he ordered a group of troops to escort the wounded to retreat, and he led his own troops to break up the rear.Zhong Changrong was unconscious when he was rescued, and Wangcheng lost its most critical external barrier.

News of Wangcheng's fall reached the capital, and the Chu Dynasty immediately realized something was wrong.She was too familiar with Xie Yanlai's behavior. If someone hadn't handed him a knife from inside, he would not have made consecutive mistakes in the same place.The Chu Dynasty was not frightened by the defeat, but quickly blocked military reports, first banning Deng Yi who might have colluded with Liang Qiang.Deng Yi was furious, thinking that the Chu Dynasty was taking an opportunity to liquidate the Taifu's mansion.However, the Chu Dynasty only showed him a few intercepted secret letters. The words used in the letters were very similar to those of the old Taifu Mansion, which was enough to show that someone was using his network of disciples to disrupt the front line.

Xiao Xun also took advantage of the chaos to take action.He burned down the Taifu's mansion, created chaos in the capital, and then rescued Deng Yi through a secret passage, trying to bring the banned veteran back to his camp.At first, Deng Yi didn't want to be used by Xiao Xun anymore, but the situation no longer allowed him to weigh it slowly.Xiao Xun combined Wangcheng's fall, Xie Yanlai's trick, and the Chu Dynasty's ban on the Taifu's Mansion into one set of rhetoric, inducing Deng Yi to believe that only by returning to Xiaonan could he maintain his final retreat.

When the Chu Dynasty traced the secret passage, Xiao Xun and Deng Yi had already escaped from the capital.She did not immediately send troops to pursue blindly, but first stabilized the palace city and the Imperial Guard.Xiao Yu was protected in the inner palace, while Xie Yanfang acted like a frightened minister and asked for help in quelling the chaos.Chu Chao looked at Xie Yanfang's posture and had deeper suspicions in his heart: Wangcheng was lost, Deng Yi fled, and Xiao Xun returned to Xiaonan. These things happened so smoothly, as if someone deliberately pushed the chess pieces to where they should go one by one.She decided not to expose Xie Yanfang for the time being and let him continue acting.

When Xie Yanlai withdrew from Xinggu Pass, the morale of the army was low.Wangcheng was once a place they fought to defend, but now it was lost again, and many soldiers found it difficult to accept it.Xie Yanlai did not scold the defeated soldiers. He only asked people to treat the wounded first, and then recorded the defeat item by item.He wanted to know where every military order came from, at what point it was changed, and why Liang Qiang was so delayed in rescuing her.After Zhong Changrong woke up, he only said one sentence: The military order is wrong.It was these four words that allowed Xie Yan to confirm that she was not defeated by Shuo Mo, but by the person who handed the knife from behind.

After the Chu Dynasty banned Deng Yi, the court immediately divided into two factions.Some people think that she used the defeat to eliminate dissidents, while others support a thorough investigation of the Taifu Mansion.Xiao Yu did not back down in the palace. For the first time, he clearly stood on the side of the Chu Dynasty and ordered all military-related documents to be reviewed by the Imperial Guard.Xie Yanfang looked at the changes in the young emperor and became more alert.The child who needed his support in the past is now learning to speak on his own around Chu Chao.If it drags on any longer, the auxiliary government situation that he has worked so hard to manage will be disintegrated bit by bit.

Episode 20 plot introduction

After Xiao Xun fled back to Xiaonan, he soon revealed his true face.He killed his father to seize the throne, wiped out all opponents in Xiaonan Palace, and used the late emperor's edict in Deng Yi's hands to ascend the throne and rebel.It is no longer important whether the imperial edict is true or false. What is important is that Xiao Xun finally tore off his protective cloak and openly confronted the Chu capital based on Xiaonan.Deng Yi stood beside him, watching the prince whom he had once regarded as someone he could use become emperor, and for the first time, he felt uncontrollable regret in his heart.

The Chu Dynasty personally led an army to conquer.Before the expedition, she did not push Xiao Yu to the front of the battle, nor did she let the young emperor bear the name of this bloody battle.She only told Xiao Yu that the throne of Dachu could not be taken away by a posthumous edict, nor could it be secured by sacrificing the people.Xiao Yu handed her the military order and solemnly called her the eldest princess.When the Chu Dynasty led its troops to leave Beijing, the people in the city spontaneously sent each other off.She did not stop to accept the kneeling, but just rode forward, with only the direction of Xiaonan in her eyes.

On the battlefield, Xiao Xun still tried to use the same methods in his previous life to disrupt the Chu Dynasty.He sent people to spread rumors that the Chu Dynasty supported its troops and pushed Deng Yi to the front of the battle, hoping to create a rift between the old ministers of Chu and the eldest princess.The Chu Dynasty had already seen through his plan, and instead took advantage of Deng Yi's weakness of foolishness and filial piety to set up a trap.She placed the old story of the Deng family and the truth about Xiao Xun's father-killing and seizing the throne in front of Deng Yi, forcing him to choose between continuing to help the tyrants and leaving the last name for the family.

Deng Yi finally rebelled on the battlefield.In the melee, he stabbed Xiao Xun and was surrounded by Xiaonan's rebels.Even after Xiao Xun was seriously injured, he still refused to believe what was happening before him. He did not believe that the Chu Dynasty could rewrite his past life, nor did he believe that he would be defeated by the person who had been strangled to death by his own hands.Chu Chao walked up to him and heard that he was still talking about power and destiny, and felt that the tone of his previous life had finally sunk to the bottom.She took off her scarf and killed Xiao Xun with her own hands in the same way as in her previous life.

After Xiao Xun's death, the Xiaonan rebellion quickly collapsed.Deng Yi was demoted to a commoner, and the remaining troops in Xiaonan were incorporated or dismissed.The Chu Dynasty did not stay on the battlefield for too long because she knew that Xie Yanlai was still on the front line escorting King Shuomo back to Beijing.Xiao Xun's death is not the end, but the most conspicuous link in the hatred in his previous life has been severed.Xie Yanfang, who was really hiding in the shadows, had not yet taken action, or in other words, he was already waiting for Chu Chao to relax his guard because of the victory.On the way back to Beijing with his troops, Chu Chao felt uneasy in his heart.

Before Xiao Xun died, he still tried to evoke the pain of Chu Dynasty's previous life.He said that if she hadn't reincarnated, many things would not have happened; he said that the deaths of Chu Cen and Ka Mianhong were the price of her insistence on changing their lives.Listening to these vicious words, Chu Chao's eyes became calmer and calmer.She had returned to the moment of death in her previous life countless times in her dreams, asking herself if it was too late to see Xiao Xun clearly.The answer doesn't matter these days.She would no longer be dragged back to her old dreams by his words, nor would she leave her fate to his judgment.

After the Xiaonan Army surrendered, the Chu Dynasty personally counted the prisoners and strictly prohibited soldiers from disturbing the people.The war caused by Xiao Xun has caused too many people to lose their homes, and she does not want to inflict new wounds after victory.When Deng Yi was escorted away, he bowed deeply to her through the crowd.He had been conceited and arrogant in his life, but in the end he almost helped Xiao Xun destroy Dachu.The Chu Dynasty did not respond and only asked people to deal with it according to the law.She knew that regret could not offset guilt, just as her own pain could not justify indiscriminate killing.

On the way back to Beijing, she also received news that Xie Yan had come to escort King Shuomo on his journey, so she sent someone to meet him along the way.

Episode 21 plot introduction

Xiao Xun is dead, King Shuomo has been escorted back to Beijing by Xie Yanlai, and the situation seems to have finally stabilized.Xie Yanlai was cautious all the way, but still encountered an ambush on the way.The person who came here was not an ordinary bandit, he was familiar with the tactics of the army, and his goal was not to rob King Shuomo, but to take Xie Yanlai's life.Xie Yanlai quickly judged that the person behind the scenes was not the Xiaonan remnant, but someone who knew his marching habits better.But the ambush occupied the ground, so he could only protect the escort team and retreat while fighting.

The killers secretly bribed by Xie Yanfang have already been ambushing both sides of the mountain road.Xie Yan came to break through several times but was forced back to the edge of the cliff. The soldiers around him fell one after another.He could have given up on King Shuomo to save his life, but he knew that if the captives were lost, the border battles and the peace talks with Chu would be disrupted again.At the last moment, he handed over King Shuomo to his trusted lieutenant and led the pursuers away.When the sword light approached, he was forced to fall into the cliff, his life or death unknown.

The news spread back to the capital, and the Chu Dynasty almost lost control on the spot.She had just finished killing Xiao Xun with her own hands, but before she could wait for Xie Yan to return, she heard the sad news that he had fallen off a cliff.But she quickly grasped the doubts from her grief: Xie Yanlai's route was extremely secretive, and those who could set up an ambush in advance must have the core information in the army; the ambushers did not take away King Shuomo, but only focused on killing Xie Yanlai, indicating that what they were really afraid of was that Xie Yanlai returned to the capital alive.Chu Chao reorganized all the clues, and Xie Yanfang's name finally could no longer be avoided.

She began to look back at the death of her parents, the burning of blood, and the fall of Weijiacun, Axiang and Wangcheng.Every line can eventually lead to Xie Yanfang.In the past, Xie Yanfang was always like a sober bystander, cleaning up the mess for the court, stabilizing the situation for the young emperor, and covering up scandals for the Xie family.Only now did Chu Chao see clearly that he was the one who was best at pushing others to the edge of the knife.She did not arrest Xie Yanfang immediately because the evidence was not enough to convince the whole court, and also because if Xie Yanfang sensed danger, she would definitely attack Xiao Yu first.

The Autumn Hunting Conference was approaching, and the Chu Dynasty decided to take advantage of the situation.She deliberately showed her fatigue in court, making Xie Yanfang think that Xie Yanlai's death had crushed her.Mu Xiaoman and the Public Security Bureau secretly mobilized manpower to find out Xie Yanfang's arrangements around the hunting grounds.Chu Chao knew that Xie Yanfang would use this autumn hunting to force her to hand over military power, so she followed the other party's path.Xie Yanlai's life or death was uncertain, so she couldn't place her hope on a miracle; she wanted to tear Xie Yanfang's game apart with her own hands when he was at his most proud.

After Xie Yanlai fell off the cliff, the escort team was almost in chaos.The deputy general followed his last order to protect King Shuo Mo, fought desperately to break through, and sent the people to the nearest military town.When the ambushers saw their main target falling off the cliff, they still wanted to continue chasing the remnants, but were intercepted by the Chu family's old troops who arrived.After several survivors were brought back alive, their statements were inconsistent, and they only repeatedly mentioned a sum of money from Gaoyang.When Chu Chao heard the word Gao Yang, the last bit of luck in his heart disappeared.

She did not set up a memorial for Xie Yanlai, nor did she allow anyone to say that he was dead.Someone advised her to accept the reality. The cliff was filled with rapid water and rocks, and her chances of survival were extremely slim.The Chu Dynasty only ordered people to search along the river and blocked the news.If Xie Yanlai was still alive, spreading the news too early would lead to a second pursuit; if he was really gone, she would have to find out the person who harmed him first.At night, Chu Chao sat alone under the lamp and turned through the pages of the old battle reports left by Xie Yanlai.The handwriting was still there, but the life or death of the person who wrote it was unknown. She finally couldn't help but blush.

Episode 22 plot introduction

At the Autumn Hunting Conference, the Chu Dynasty deliberately pretended to be defeated and upset.As expected, Xie Yanfang took the opportunity to launch an attack and put her under house arrest in the name of assisting the government, demanding that she hand over military power.When the courtiers saw the eldest princess being forced to the side hall of the hunting ground, many of them did not dare to speak.Xie Yanfang still looked gentle, but there was no retreat in her words.He told Chu Chao that Xiao Xun was dead and Xie Yanlai was no longer here. If she wanted to keep Xiao Yu and the rest of the Chu family, she should hand over the military orders.

The Chu Dynasty did not resist immediately and only took out the token as Xie Yanfang requested.When she approached, there was a dagger hidden in her sleeve, and the blade was quenched with dragon bird gall poison.Xie Yanfang thought that she had been forced into a desperate situation, and her defenses were only placed on the outside army and the Imperial Guard. She did not expect that the Chu Dynasty would take action in the most direct way.The moment the dagger cut through his arm, Xie Yanfang's expression finally changed.The Chu Dynasty did not want to fight, and took advantage of the chaos created by Mu Xiaoman and others to retreat, allowing the poison to spread in Xie Yanfang's body first.

At the critical moment, Xie Yanlai, who survived the fall from the cliff, led his troops to break through.It turned out that he was rescued by his old troops after falling off a cliff. He was seriously injured and was in coma for several days. He rushed back to the capital as soon as he woke up.He did not show up in advance in order to cooperate with the Chu Dynasty in forcing Xie Yanfang to reveal his true face.When Xie Yanfang saw him alive, she finally realized that the biggest variable she thought had been eliminated was still standing in front of her.The situation in the hunting ground was reversed in an instant. The Xie family's private soldiers and the Imperial Guard were fighting in the forest. The courtiers were also forced to see the truth of this conspiracy.

In order to completely remove Xie Yanfang's defenses, Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai staged another painful trick.The Chu Dynasty pretended to surrender and was willing to be a puppet controlled by Xie Yanfang; Xie Yanlai cut his neck and mutilated himself in full view of the public, pretending to trade his life for the Chu Dynasty's safety.Xie Yanfang has always prided herself on being able to read people's hearts, but she believed in this performance when she wanted to win the most.He thought that the Chu Dynasty had lost its ability to fight back, and that Xie Yanlai was no longer a threat, so he brought more hidden evidence and manpower to the front.

Chu Chao was waiting for this moment.Mu Xiaoman led people to intercept Xie Yanfang's private soldiers, while Xiao Yu was also preparing for the pro-government ceremony in the palace.All the evidence was sent to where it should appear. Weijiacun, Qianjiranxue, Chu Cen's poisoning, Xie Yanlai's ambush, everything was no longer just a rumor.Although Xie Yanfang was poisoned, she still tried to use the Xie family's century-old reputation to suppress the situation.Chu Chao watched him struggle, feeling no joy in his heart, only a sense of calm that he had finally reached the end.She knew that the real reckoning would be completed at a grand ceremony in front of the Great Chu Court.

When Xie Yanlai broke through the siege and entered the hunting ground, the side of his neck was still wrapped in a thick bandage.He came all the way, his wounds opened many times, but he didn't stop.When Chu Chao saw him alive, his eyes were confused for only a moment, and then he continued to act as planned.The two of them knew Xie Yanfang's temper very well. If he only relied on force to take someone down at this time, he would have countless excuses to bite back.He must be allowed to present all the evidence of private soldiers, poisons, military power and forced palace, so that the court will no longer have any room for protection.

The most dangerous moment of the bitter plot was when Xie Yanlai pretended to cut his neck.When the blade of the blade was pressed against the old wound, Chu Chao almost broke the token in his sleeve.She knew it was false, but she was still heartbroken by the bad news about falling off a cliff a few days ago.When Xie Yanlai fell, Xie Yanfang finally relaxed his vigilance and ordered people to collect military orders from all over the hunting ground in preparation for a complete takeover.Mu Xiaoman was waiting for this order. She emerged from the darkness with the Imperial Guard and captured the messenger and the private soldier commander together.Xie Yanfang didn't realize until this moment that the hunting ground was not only his trap, but also the court prepared for him by the Chu Dynasty.

Episode 23 plot introduction

On the day of the pro-government ceremony, the grown-up Xiao Yu wore the God's Crown robe and for the first time did not hide behind any of the auxiliary ministers.Xie Yanfang entered the palace despite being ill, but still tried to maintain the dignity of a powerful official in the family.He thought that he had the edict of the young emperor's abdication and a group of courtiers' handles. Even if Qiu Shou failed, he could still win the battle at the ceremony.But Xiao Yu announced an edict in court to liquidate Xie Yanfang's family, listing him for having an affair with Shuo Mo, murdering Chu Cen, manipulating a machine to burn blood, and buying a murderer to ambush Xie Yanlai.

The court was in an uproar.Xie Yanfang initially wanted to argue, saying that these were charges fabricated by Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai in order to seize power.The Chu Dynasty did not argue with him, but only asked people to present evidence.Ah Xiang was brought into the palace, and the survivors of the old cases in Weijiacun also testified one by one; the intercepted prescriptions, secret messages, military orders and the ambushers' confessions were placed in front of the ministers.Xie Yanfang looked at the clues that she thought had been dealt with long ago, and finally understood that Chu Chao was not forced to leave these days by him, but was leading him step by step to a place where he could not escape.

Xie Yanfang returned to Gaoyang after a disastrous defeat.He was unwilling to be imprisoned and still wanted to use the Xie Ancestral Hall to preserve his last dignity.In the Gaoyang Ancestral Hall, the Xie family's ancestral tablets stood quietly. He once used these tablets as the reason for all his calculations.Xie Yanlai and Chu Chao came hand in hand. When Xie Yanfang saw his brother resurrected from the dead, he could no longer remain calm.He asked Xie Yanlai why he didn't hate the Chu Dynasty, since there were so many blood debts between the Xie family and the Chu family.Xie Yanlai only said that the person who really pushed them into blood debt was Xie Yanfang, who always claimed to be Xie Jiamou's future.

The Chu Dynasty took advantage of the opportunity to poison Chu Cen, Ah Xiang was hanged, the old case of Weijiacun and Xie Yanlai's ambush were revealed one by one.As Xie Yanfang listened to these old things being retold, it was like seeing the web she had woven with her own hands wrapping around her.He once thought that everyone was just a pawn, that the Chu Dynasty would be led away by hatred, that Xie Yanlai would be overwhelmed by guilt, and that Xiao Yu would always need to assist the government.But in the end, these people did not follow the path he set. Instead, they worked together to fight back where he was most confident.

Xie Yanfang did not choose to stand trial.He lit the ancestral hall on fire, hoping that the glory and sins of the Xie family would be reduced to ashes along with himself.When the fire started, Xie Yan originally wanted to step forward, but was held back by Chu Chao.Xie Yanfang has reached the end of his life, and rescuing him will only allow him to continue torturing others in the name of the Xie family.The fire in the ancestral hall reflected the night red, and Xie Yanlai stood outside the door without saying a word for a long time.Chu Chao stayed with him, knowing that this fire burned not only Xie Yanfang, but also the shadow that Xie Yan could not escape from for many years.

When Xiao Yu announced the decree, his voice was a little tight at first.Xie Yanfang has been in power for many years, and his disciples and old friends are all over the palace. To liquidate such people in public is not something that the young emperor can accomplish with just one sentence.Chu Chao didn't speak for him, he just stood at the side of the hall and looked at him.Xiao Yu held the edict tightly and finally read out every crime.As the evidence was presented one by one, the court officials who had been waiting and watching did not dare to speak for Xie Yanfang anymore.For the first time, the young emperor truly suppressed the rumors in the palace as emperor.

After Xie Yanfang returned to Gaoyang, there were still Xie family members trying to persuade him to escape.But he knew that the situation was over, and he would not be able to play chess again no matter where he fled.The ancestral hall is the last place he can choose, and it is also the place where he has the deepest obsession in his life.When Xie Yanlai saw those tribesmen dispersed in panic, he felt no joy of victory in his heart.The Xie family gave him a surname and a shackle; now the shackles were broken, leaving behind a charred open space.Chu Chao did not persuade him to put it down, but only stood with him until the fire gradually died down.When the sky turned white, Xie Yanlai whispered that she could finally leave Gaoyang.

Episode 24 plot introduction

After Xie Yanfang's death, the Chu Chaotang finally ushered in the real Qingming.Xiao Yu re-edited the laws and regulations, abolished several old systems that had been used by powerful ministers for a long time, and re-divided the powers and responsibilities of the border army, imperial guards and arch guard.The Chu Dynasty did not take advantage of the situation to monopolize power, but gradually handed over many military and political affairs to Xiao Yu, who was already able to make independent decisions.Xiao Yu was uneasy at first, worried that he still couldn't support this devastated court.The Chu Dynasty told him that emperors are not born with the ability to make decisions, but learn not to leave the people to the mercy of others after each responsibility.

There are many rumors about the eldest princess in the capital.Some people say that she should continue to be regent, some say that she has great achievements and shakes the emperor, and some regard her as the foundation of the great rejuvenation of Chu.When Chu Chao heard these words, he just asked Mu Xiaoman to continue investigating the case that should be investigated.She experienced being blinded by love and the destruction of the Chu family in her previous life. She also experienced her parents dying in battle and Xie Yanfang being executed in this life.For her, power and position are no longer something to prove herself, but a tool to protect innocent people.Now that Xiao Yu can take charge personally, she should slowly let go of this burden.

Xie Yanlai also resigned from some military positions after recovering from his injuries.He once stepped from a soldier in the imperial army to the position of a general in charge of the country, relying on the blood and fire on the battlefield, and also relying on the Chu Dynasty to pull him out of the shadow of the Xie family time and time again.Now that the old case of the Xie family is over, the souls of the dead in Weijia Village have been exonerated, and Ah Xiang has been properly settled, he finally no longer has to live for anyone's chess game.Chu Chao asked him if he was willing to leave the court, but Xie Yanlai just smiled and said that if she wanted to return to Yunzhong County, he would go back with her.

On the day of leaving Beijing, Xiao Yu personally delivered it to the city gate.The young emperor was much calmer than when he first ascended the throne. There was still reluctance in his eyes, but he did not hold back.The Chu Dynasty gave him the last military assignment and told Mu Xiaoman to stay in the capital to assist the Imperial Guard.A Le cried a lot when she was packing for Chu Chao, but Chu Chao comforted her with a smile, saying that Yunzhong County was windy and sandy, and her eyes would hurt if she cried too much on the road.Everyone was amused by this sentence, and the haze that had been weighing on their hearts for many years seemed to finally dissipate.

Chu Chao and Xie Yanlai rode side by side to leave Chudu and return to the desert along the same road they came from.When passing by Wangcheng, the city wall had been repaired and people were selling in the market as usual; further on, people from Cangmu Village were also seeing each other off by the mountain road.The wind in Yunzhong County blew the hem of Chu Chao's clothes, and she thought of her father's war drum, her mother's fire, and the hatred she could not swallow before she died in her previous life.Now that the hatred has finally come to an end, the living must continue to move forward.She and Xie Yanlai slowed down their horses in the sunset. In the distance was their peaceful home.This time, they no longer have to be pushed by anyone's fate, and can live the rest of their lives how they want.

After Chu Chao returned to Yunzhong County, the first thing he did was to worship Chu Cen and Kapok Hong.She told her parents about the pacification of the capital, Xiao Yu's taking over, and Xie Yanfang's execution, and then placed the old ornament in front of the tomb.The wind blew through the desert and rolled up the fine sand. She seemed to hear her father's war drum and the sound of her mother's horse hooves before she rushed into the enemy camp.Xie Yanlai did not disturb her and just stood far down the slope.When Chu Chao stood up, he handed over the water bag.Neither of them mentioned the people they lost, but both knew they would carry them with them for the rest of their lives.

The reconstruction of Yunzhong County is not easy.After the war, the city walls, fields, and trade roads all needed to be restored, and the border troops also needed to be reorganized.The Chu Dynasty no longer used the power of the eldest princess to suppress others. Instead, he and Xie Yanlai visited various camps, villages and towns, reducing the corvee that could be reduced, and providing the pension that should be supplemented to each household.The people of Cangmuzhai no longer hide in the mountains as bandits. Some of them join the army, some open up wasteland, and some escort caravans.The places that had been separated by old grudges were finally reconnected bit by bit.Chu Chao stood on the tower and looked at the smoke in the distance. For the first time, he felt that the destination in this life was not just a blank space after revenge, but a home where he could truly start over.