Prince of Lan Ling Episode 34

This wig is heavy on the side. It's a wonder Mao Lin Lin is able to hold her head up straight.

 

Chang Gong and Zheng Er take a walk along the battlements. When the Prince of Lan Ling asks what the empress wants, Zheng Er points at Xue Wu down below. Chang Gong warns that he will defend his wife with his own life.

 

Back at Hu Kou Barrier (remember that from way back when?) the soldiers are starving to death. Yang Shi Shen is facing a rebellion from the unpaid brigade. He assures the men he's sent a message to the prince and the prince won't let them down.

 

Chang Gong begs Gao Wei to pay his soldiers. The emperor will only agree to sending half of the wages owed and puts Chang Gong in charge of taking the money to the border. Turns out this is all a Zheng Er plan. She wants Chang Gong far away so she can strike against Xue Wu.

 

Chang Gong and Xue Wu say their goodbyes. She wants her husband to take one of their dirt dolls with him. As she's passing the figurine to Chang Gong it slips and falls to the floor. Omen!

 

Zheng Er meets with the man in charge of the water canals. She hands over to him some secret orders as well as some men to help him out with his instructions. Oh yes, and his family has been "invited" to stay at the palace, just in case he doesn't feel like following orders. Later the man reads the orders, supposedly from the emperor, commanding the floodgates to be opened.

 

Chang Gong and his retinue are moving slowly when he hears the sound of rushing water. He sends a man to investigate and learns about the floodgates being opened. Finding this strange, Chang Gong orders his men to ride back. They encounter Canal Man (I don't know his name) who is being held at swordpoint by the empress's men. Chang Gong and his stuntman leaps and swirls, performing some impressive sword moves, and frees Canal Man, who tells Chang Gong it was the emperor who commanded the water to be released.

 

Zheng Er is holding another prisoner death match, this one for her husband. I'm rather creeped out at how much Gao Wei is getting off at seeing people fight each other to the death. Zu Ting reports to them about the city's water reservoir has now been emptied (as planned) and that it won't rain for months.

 

 

Over in Zhou, Yuwen Shen Ju is already reporting about Qi's water crisis as well as how Gao Wei has cut his soldier's pay in half to be able to pay for the new garden. You are so on top of things, Shen Ju. I'd follow you on Twitter. 

 

The people of Qi are already suffering from the drought. One of Zu Ting's stooges, dressed as a peasant, tells the suffering people that there is usually water under big trees. Everyone starts to dig around this tree with lovely yellow leaves. While digging, a young man uncovers a statue of Buddha. Written on the back is some kind of prophecy concerning the divine sorceress marrying the chosen king. 

 

Other statues with the same prophecy are found elsewhere. The people are all talking about the wrath of the gods because Xue Wu didn't marry Gao Wei. An De suspects Zheng Er is behind this, but he's sent out of town by the emperor so now Xue Wu has no one to protect her. Not that she can't protect herself. She has a supply of gunpowder.

 

Gao Wei sends soldiers to go fetch the divine sorceress so he can marry her. Xiao Dong races to warn Xue Wu ahead of time. While Xiao Dong and the rest of the servants swear to defend their lady, Xue Wu commands them to not fight.

 

When Zu Ting and the military escort arrive, Xue Wu acts compliant and dresses up in her wedding finery. Ah, but what's that up her sleeve? Some of her private stock of fireworks. Xue Wu gives Xiao Cui a message to give to Chang Gong when he gets back. She says something along the lines of she'll make sure Chang Gong and Qi won't have to put up with a crappy emperor in the future. Um, you're not planning on becoming a suicide bomber, are you, Xue Wu?