Where the Mask Ends episode 29 recap: A poisoned soup, a war and Lu Zhuo's coffin

In short

Consort Zheng's poisoned soup comes out, and the crown prince keeps his title but starts plotting. Lu Zhuo kills the Hutuo king in a surprise attack, then seems to die saving his cousin, and A Chou receives his coffin without a tear.

What happens in episode 29

Han Liao plays on Qi Zhongkai's feelings for A Chou and invites him to work together. Qi Zhongkai drinks the wine Han Liao pours, which looks like a yes. Meanwhile Prince Fu learns that Consort Zheng has been passing off gouwen, a poisonous herb, as huangjing in the ginseng soup she makes for the Emperor. It is especially dangerous with cinnabar. Over Liu Shuo's objections, Prince Fu exposes her. The Emperor, furious, throws down the elixir pills he has taken for years.

He calls Consort Zheng and the crown prince, Liu Shou, to Xuanshi Hall. She starts out acting innocent. Without a word, the Emperor orders the soup and the pills given to the crown prince. She can't let her son take them, so she swallows it all herself and admits why she did it. Soon she is coughing blood, which proves the mix does lasting harm. Liu Shou can't meet her eye and doesn't plead for her. Moved by how she protected her son, the Emperor lets him off and keeps him as heir. Liu Shou isn't grateful. He lives in fear of losing his title, and with Wei Shu urging him on, he starts thinking about taking the throne.

Han Liao has been secretly dealing with Di Man, king of the Hutuo. The Hutuo attack, an urgent report reaches the capital, and Lu Zhuo is ordered out at once. He has no time to say goodbye. A Chou rides after the army but is too late, and with hills between them neither can see the other. In camp Lu Zhuo keeps Han Liao out of the planning, though Han Liao has informers. Remembering what Qi Zhongkai said, Lu Zhuo decides to use the campaign to test A Chou's heart. He doesn't want to keep her in the dark for long and sends Zhao Song back to tell her, but Qi Zhongkai ties Zhao Song up.

That night, under heavy fog, Lu Zhuo launches a surprise attack. Han Liao doesn't even have his armor on. Lu Zhuo takes Di Man's head, then hears that his cousin Lu Ya pushed too far and is trapped at Iron Scorpion Ridge. He turns back and saves him, but appears to fall to his death in a gorge. The army comes home victorious, and A Chou is met with his coffin. The Lu women weep over it. A Chou doesn't. She goes straight to the Zhuyu estate and tells Xiao to gather everyone, then accepts that refugees can't beat cavalry and orders 200 carrier pigeons instead. The Duke's house is draped in white, but she wears her own clothes and the ring Lu Zhuo gave her.

The Emperor coughs up blood and falls unconscious. Liu Shou, delighted, rides to the Zhuyu estate with his soldiers and finds it empty. Sensing something is wrong, he heads for the palace. Li Wei of the Northern Army is ordered to take Liu Shuo and the women with him away. Yi Jiang reads the signs for Prince Fu and tells him to wait, so he gathers his private troops and plans to back whoever wins. At the palace Liu Shou still hopes to get the imperial seal from the Emperor. Wei Shu thinks he is laughably stupid.

Why it matters

As far as A Chou knows, her husband is dead and Zhao Song's message never came. The crown prince thinks the way is clear, and 200 pigeons are the only weapon she has left for the finale.

Based on the episode synopsis, summarized in our own words: TVmao (电视猫) episode synopses, cited by Baidu Baike Baidu Baike: official synopsis, episode synopses, cast and 追剧日历