episode 35 spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead

1.Xiao Q continues to recover but the royal medics report to the emperor that she can never bear a child again. In addition to this, her entire family was banished. The emperor chooses to let her stay because he pities her.

2.In the next scene, Meniang is feeding Xiao Q tangerines. Ru'ian discusses how pitiful she is, since her family was banished and she can't have children. It is very obvious to the viewer that Xiao Q is faking. She takes the time to run off and cries silently. For reasons that make no sense she blames her situation on Meniang as well and vows revenge. Worse, Xia Hui discovers her and essentially blackmails her (she knew, for reasons unknown, that she was faking).

3.Later, Xiao Q's old friends arrive under the guise of feeding her food but they really use it as a chance to mock her. Xiao Q then hears that her family was executed (not true) from them. Later, she has a nightmare about her child and can't unhear its cries. (I pity her).

4.Meanwhile, Xu HUi and Meniang visit Xiao Q in her palace. She confronts them and confesses she faked being ill (surprising Meniang). She then starts a fire and tells them to burn with her, that she has nothing to live for, and can't go through life watching them have the emperor's love. She dies, while Meniang tries to rescue her but Xu Hui pulls her away.

5.Xu hui risks her life to save Meniang because she can't allow her to die and have the emperor miss her for the remainder of his life. Later, Xu Hui wakes to the emperor by her bedside and he is all sweet words. She milks the 'saving Meniang' (I would to if I were her)

6.Elsewhere, Meniang awakens to Consort Yang by her side.

7.Li Mu is approached by Consort Yang's attendant who tries to persuade him to essentially do things for them. He explains he has no desire to do anything like harm the king because his parents made him promise not to seek revenge. He also confirms that he and Meniang are leaving. But she states that even if he has her physically, her heart will always be with the emperor....

Comments: This episode was well executed and it was kind of interesting to see Xiao Q leave so dramatically. I am not surprised if only because your value as a woman was determined by your ability to conceive. With no family, and not even that, she only had a future of people mistreating her to look forward to. Unless she swallowed her pried and toadied up to someone, but then she would be use and maybe disposed. It was a pretty bleak future. I didn't like how Meniang was painted as exceptionally nice (If someone tried to kill me I would not be trying to save them) and how people seemed to know things. I am also losing my patience with this Li Mu subplot and am getting tired of Consort Yang.

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