Episode Summary
Yu Qi convinces General Cui Xu to aid the Emperor by revealing Jiang Si’s Saintess identity, while Jiang Si brokers peace with Southern Wu. The Grand Princess’s coup collapses when Yu Qi’s team infiltrates the palace, leading to her defeat. Meanwhile, Zhen Heng and Princess Fuqing resist the tyranny, and Southern Wu’s Grand Elder hesitates on war plans.
Spoiler Alert
Hold onto your jade hairpins, folks—Episode 39 of Si Jin is a masterclass in political chess and last-minute saves. Let’s break down the chaos (and yes, there’s a lot of chaos).
Yu Qi vs. Cui Xu: The Art of Persuasion
Our boy Yu Qi (the ultimate multitasker) races to convince General Cui Xu that the Grand Princess is plotting a coup. Cui Xu, however, isn’t buying it. "Auntie Grand Princess wants the throne? Pfft, she sends me holiday gifts!" But Yu Qi drops a bombshell: Jiang Si, his mysterious lady love, is the legendary Saintess who can make Southern Wu’s armies retreat. Cui Xu’s reaction? Let’s just say his eyebrows nearly flew off his face.
Meanwhile, Jiang Si and Lu Chuchu trek to Southern Wu’s Shenjian Mountain to meet the Grand Elder. Turns out, Jiang Si’s past-life memories give her déjà vu vibes ("This mountain? Been there, literally died on that"). She negotiates a truce, but the Grand Elder hesitates—withdrawing troops could leave them vulnerable. Jiang Si counters with prophetic war visions: "Trust me, nobody wins this bloodbath." Southern Wu backs down... for now.
The Grand Princess’s Power Hour
Back in Ling’an, the Grand Princess is done playing nice. Her to-do list? 1) Declare herself empress. 2) Eliminate dissidents. 3) Side-eye anyone who breathes wrong. Her first target? Zhen Heng, the palace’s resident rebel whisperer. She sends assassin Shi Jiu to purge her enemies but spares Zhen Heng—for now. (Spoiler: This is a terrible idea.)
Zhen Heng and Princess Fuqing continue their secret wall-tapping romance, exchanging intel like forbidden love letters. They uncover the Grand Princess’s plan to hijack the imperial ancestral rites (a classic coup move). Fuqing refuses to flee without her mother, proving loyalty runs thicker than palace soup.
Yu Qi’s Sneaky Squad Saves the Day
Yu Qi and Cui Xu try to infiltrate the capital disguised as merchants, but their "totally normal trader" act fails harder than a knockoff Ming vase. Just as guards get suspicious, Prince Qi swoops in like a drama-loving deus ex machina, smuggling them into the Dongping Marquis Residence.
The gang then pulls off a Mission: Impossible–style switcheroo, replacing the Grand Princess’s loyal Swift Wind Guards with their own spies. Bonus points for Yu Qi going undercover as a eunuch—nobody saw that twist coming.
The Throne Room Showdown
The Grand Princess corners the Emperor, demanding a abdication edict… or she’ll start executing his consorts one by one. Enter Prince Qi with the imperial seal, luring her into a false sense of victory. Cue Yu Qi (still in eunuch drag) leaping out to hold a dagger to her throat. The coup crumbles as Cui Xu’s troops storm the palace, and the Grand Princess’s ally Changxing Marquis gets benched.
Meanwhile, in Subplot Land…
- Southern Wu’s Grand Elder nearly backtracks on the truce, but Jiang Si shuts him down with a "peace-through-prosperity" TED Talk.
- Zhen Heng gets tortured in prison, bonding with a symbolic kite sent by Fuqing (romance blooms even in dungeons, apparently).
The Aftermath
The Grand Princess’s empire-sized ego takes a nosedive as her schemes unravel. But with Jiang Si’s visions and Yu Qi’s chaotic energy, you know this isn’t the last power grab. Stay tuned for more betrayals, cryptic prophecies, and someone definitely getting pushed down a palace staircase.
Final Thought: Never underestimate a woman with past-life trauma and a flair for diplomacy. Jiang Si for president!
