Female Prime Minister: Legend of Lu Zhen Episode 35 Recap

Okay, so this episode builds up to the next two, which happen to be very good. That being said, there is slight character movement as one of our evil people is slowly learning to MOVE ON with her life. Yes ladies and gentlemen, the Royal Concubine is finally, finally developing some semblance of affection toward the Emperor.  Also, Elizaphantrex, you are the best for being my editor. I would never replace you when you leave for the East Coast (US) in the coming weeks.

That being said, I’m currently looking for a new editor.

Elizaphantrex: >= l]

The Emperor dresses Gao Zhan’s new wounds and apologizes for his behavior. He tells Gao Zhan that he was just mad at the Royal Concubine. Gao Zhan says that it’s fine, and that he does respect the Emperor who is a good ruler and a good brother.  While he wasn’t happy at first about the sucession, now all he wants to do is spend his life with Lu Zhen. When he was kidnapped the only person on his mind was Lu Zhen. He says that Lu Zhen is his everything now.

 

The Emperor also reveals why Lu Zhen is hesitant to see Gao Zhan. She had sworn a blood oath, and she also knows that Gao Zhan has to marry Shen Jia Min because her family had rescued Gao Zhan. This is all news to Gao Zhan.

 

Shen Jia Min and Shen Bi walk in the palace and see the Princess and Gao Zhan having a fighting match. Gao Zhan says that he only sees Shen Jia Min as a sister and will never marry her. He will never love her. Shen Jia Min is shaken and tells Shen Bi to never mention this to anyone.

 

A Bi wonders how Lu Zhen has Gao Zhan so enamored.

 

Shen Jia Min cries to her brother, who comforts her and tells her that if this is what she wants then big brother will get it for her. Shen Jia Min tells Shen Jia Yan that she wants to kill Lu Zhen, and Shen Jia Yan firmly tells her no. She is part of the revered Shen family, and as a Shen Family Member she can’t do anything shadowy.

 

“If we want something, we have to force people to see things our way, but we can’t work in the shadows.” Shen Jia Yan offers to go talk to Lu Zhen, but Shen Jia Min remembers her brother’s interest in Lu Zhen (who had lied to Shen Jia Yan about her name) and quickly tells her brother no. Shen Jia Min looks at a pot of magnolias and smiles, remembering his last time in the palace.

 

Lu Zhen is supposed to be writing Du Si Yi’s dictation, but all she can write are the six words that Gao Zhan had sent her when he was on the battlefield. Du Si Yi catches Lu Zhen and starts to berate her, after all she is giving these lessons and Lu Zhen should pay attention. She commands Lu Zhen to tell her what’s going on.

 

Shen Bi goes to Lou Qing Qiang, and while Lou Qing Qiang knows that Shen Bi is in love with Gao Zhan, Shen Bi explains/lies that she just wants revenge now. She tells Lou Qing Qiang that Lu Zhen is really Gao Zhan’s love and Lu Zhen has been playing with Lou Qing Qiang this whole time. Lou Qing Qiang is enraged and vows revenge. Shen Bi smiles evilly as she has found another power player who will do her bidding.

  

Du Si Yi scoffs at Lu Zhen and tells her to quickly make up with Gao Zhan. Lu Zhen said that she made an oath to the heavens. Du Si Yi rolls her eyes and makes one in front of Lu Zhen, swearing to the heavens that if she, Du Si Yi, doesn’t eat five bowls of meat then she will die by lightening strike. She looks at Lu Zhen and tells Lu Zhen to think about things carefully. Does Lu Zhen want to go and squabble for a husband or does Lu Zhen want to rise in the ranks of Lady Officials?

   

Gao Zhan visits the Emperor. Gao Zhan tells the Emperor that he has bought a bit of time with his sister; he is going to postpone the engagement with Shen Jia Min.

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The Emperor is angry for Gao Zhan because the Shen family is forcing him to marry Shen Jia Min. The Emperor also tells Gao Zhan of the reports regarding his kidnapping. The Dowager has been implicated. The Emperor sighs and says that he wants to repay Gao Zhan for the wrongs; he wants to abdicate the throne to Gao Zhan.

 

Gao Zhan refuses and says that from now on, all he wants is to be a good duke, and he doesn’t want the throne. The Emperor is his own person and should not have to pay for the sins of his mother. The Emperor falls on his knees and begs Gao Zhan not to kill his mother, even though the dowager has done so much harm to Gao Zhan. Gao Zhan yells at the Emperor to get up, since Emperors should never kneel. Gao Zhan agrees to the Emperor’s request, as long as the dowager doesn’t harm him then Gao Zhan will not harm the dowager.

 

Gao Zhan takes the weak Emperor to sit down and tells him that while the Royal Concubine is very proud, she must care for the Emperor very much. Why else would she try to give back the Empress Seal (this happened in epsiode 34, I just didn’t think much of it)? The Royal Concubine only did it so she could get a reaction for the Emperor; this shows that she cares about what he thinks.  The emperor becomes happy at the thought. He refrains from visiting her, saying that they need some time to cool down.

The Royal Concubine doesn’t show concern when she hears that the Emperor has been sick, but she does go and visit him secretly when he is asleep.

She wasn’t completely unaffected by his speech about him loving her forever, and cries silently as she stares at a picture of the Guan Yi goddess where he made the vow.

 

The Emperor wakes up the next morning with no appetite. He drinks some tea. He tastes the tea and realizes that it’s a special tea that came for the Liang Kingdom, and the Royal Concubine had given it to the deceased Empress long ago. He had remembered the taste because it was so fragrant. He guesses that the Royal Concubine had come to see him and he smiles happily like a little boy.

 

Meanwhile Shen Bi and Lou Qing Qiang take Lu Zhen’s newly made robes for the emperor and change the design.

 

Courtiers notice that the dragon claws have only 4 talons, a sign that it is worn by dukes and princes but not Emperors. This is an error that could cost Lu Zhen her life.

Elizaphantrex: At this point I scoffed and asked Rin Lee if people could really lose their lives over mistaken embroidery. She explained the cultural significance of clothing, and concluded that people died in ancient China for much less than that, which I guess shouldn’t surprise me because people have died in modern China for much less than that.

 

Lu Zhen is  brought before Wang Shang Yi. Lu Zhen tells Wang Shang Yi that she did not make the robes; there is no blood spatter from when she had accidentally pricked herself. Wang Shang Yi tells her to prove that someone is trying to sabotage her.

      

We’ve gotten through the episode that I really thought was a bottle neck one. Mind you, basically 20-30 were bottle neck episodes in this series.  So I know for a fact that there is development soon. I will refrain from yelling at the computer in frustration because the story is moving slower than molasses. The next 2 episodes are actually very, very good. Especially the next one.

Thank you elizaphantrex! Not only for editing, but for staying up with me to do it.

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