More members from the Wei clan arrive to join Chu Yu and the sisters-in-law in pleading for the release of Wei Yun. An elder from the Wei clan protests that the Wei family’s hundred-year legacy of valour was bought with blood—thousands upon thousands of lives. They must never change their ways, and they must never allow their clan to fall here. The elder also insists that the clan will remain on their knees—freeze to death if need be—and uphold the Wei family’s honour in Wei Yun’s place if Emperor Chunde insists on condemning Wei Yun.
Emperor Chunde isn’t moved. They’re left kneeling overnight in the snow. Half of the sisters-in- law as well as half of the Wei clan are defeated by the cold and the arduousness of kneeling all night and are forced to return home.
Morning hits. Still there’s no response from Emperor Chunde. Cao Yan, who’s making his way to court, thinks it’s useless kneeling, as the law exists for a reason. Duke of Ning Wang Jingzhi, who arrives onto the scene, agrees with Cao Yan and accuses Chu Yu and the Wei family of trying to coerce the throne.
Grand Tutor Xie Mingyi arrives next and disagrees with Cao Yan and Wang Jingzhi’s views. He tells them that they’ve got things backwards—that laws should serve the people and that their sincerity can move mountains.
Inside the court before His Majesty, the Grand Tutor pleads for Wei Yun’s release, reasoning that Cao Yan has found no solid evidence against the Wei family. Meanwhile, Chu Linyang (who made his way to the palace against his mother’s wishes for fear of affecting political ties) attempts to use sentiment to convince Emperor Chunde. He mentions how his father died for the state, and it’s because of Chu Yu and her loyalty towards the Wei family that he sees His Majesty. He can’t bear to see her endure it all alone like this, so he’s come to beg for Wei Yun’s release as well.
The weak reason for release sees Cao Yan argue that the truth can’t be found overnight and argues that he needs more time to find out the truth, which he assures he will get to the bottom of with a thorough investigation.
The Duke of Ning tries to convince Emperor Chunde by insinuating bias. He reminds the emperor that 70,000 lives were lost in Baidi Valley—lives which were lost because of Wei Zhong’s rashness and desire for merit. He then poses the question of whether he regards the lives of 70,000 as not as important as the lives of the Wei family.
It puts Emperor Chunde in a difficult position. He can’t afford to see yet another downfall of a military family and threaten his throne. During a brief talk with Li Changming that happens later, she makes the observation that Emperor Chunde’s throne has already become unstable, having lost the Chu and Wei generals, and if he were to fail to release Wei Yun and allow him to lead the Wei family, there would be no one to hold the line when war breaks out again.
Fortunately, there’s Li Changming. She shows up after deciding that she would help Chu Yu. Wang Jingzhi has been stating the charge against the Wei family as fact with no evidence backing it. Cao Yan promises a thorough investigation, but he’s done nothing but torture Wei Yun for a forced confession. With Li Changming’s presence, Wang Jingzhi seems to submit immediately, backing down from pressuring Emperor Chunde for a decision.
Li Changming enters, criticising Wang Jingzhi for stating the charges so accurately as if he were on the battlefield himself. Her meaning is that she should let those who were actually there talk—namely Li Huan and General Yao. It’s a hint he immediately agrees, suggesting the two recount the events so that Emperor Chunde can uncover the truth and make the judgement himself.
Li Changming then appears to order no one be spared after the truth is uncovered (regardless of whether he’s the Crown Prince or not). She gives Li Huan praise, calling him mature, brave, and capable even on the battlefield, as if she’s actually warning him through this praise. (The impression of Li Huan so far is that he’s actually not all that capable at the moment. Emperor Chunde himself has privately referred to him as “useless”.) Through her words, she appears to be sending him a message daring him to keep up with his story and wrongly incriminating Wei Yun and the Wei family. Once the truth is out, there won’t be leniency.
Li Huan gets the hint and kneels to plead that Wei Yun be spared. He doesn’t take responsibility for the defeat in Baidi Valley but tells the Court that everything the Wei family did was for the people and that the family’s merits outweigh their faults.
Li Changming follows and gives a further statement that has Grand Tutor, Chu Linyang kneel, and a number of the ministers kneel now. She tells him that the hearts of the 70,000 brave men who died for Great Sui will turn cold towards the imperial house—that is, their loyalty will fade forever—if their deaths mean that their orphaned kin and widows must still endure the coldness of the world. Similarly, the hearts of families that have fought on the battlefield for a century across four generations will also turn cold if their descendants are made to suffer injustice and grievances.
Emperor Chunde is seen tapping his fingers on his lap. He needs more support and a more convincing reason to spare Wei Yun. Duke of Hu Song Zhao from the Song family comes through to add his support, but the decision on what to do still isn’t made.
However, at the suggestion of Li Changming, Emperor Chunde is willing to see Chu Yu and hear her out. She makes her plea as Wei Jun’s wife and as the daughter of Chu Jianchang to assert that—just as she and her family took protecting one’s family and defending the nation as their duty—the Wei family takes it as their duty even more so. She touches on the fact that there’s no evidence of the crime the family is being accused of by expressing that she’s unaware of the crime Wei Yun and the Wei family committed but can talk about the loyalty the Wei family holds towards defending the nation and requests that if the emperor insists Wei Yun pay for his mistakes, that he do so on the battlefield and not in prison.
As if noticing for the first time the large area of tablets of loved ones from the Wei family who died in battle, Emperor Chunde frowns. He looks to be close to understanding Li Changming’s words.
Emperor Chunde leaves Chu Yu to head back into the court to have Wei Yun brought before him. It’s a sight which has them all shocked. When Wei Yun pays his respects to Emperor Chunde, he collapses flat onto the ground with all four limbs sprawled.
To us, this collapse looks so much like a deliberate attempt of Wei Yun’s to be this dramatic, just so he could have Emperor Chunde see the level of torture he suffered and that Cao Yan was using torture to force a confession rather than actually investigating and uncovering the truth.
Cao Yan maintains he was strictly following orders and wouldn’t dare overstep. This claim allows Wei Yun to list all the overstepping he did. Wei Yun asks Cao Yan whether it was His Majesty’s orders to whip his father’s and brothers’ coffin in public, whip Chu Yu, and drive his mother to death in the street.
Cao Yan couldn’t deny it. His only response is his belief that the Wei family is a family of criminals. This traps him further, as Wei Yun shouts that whether he is a criminal, the guilt should be judged by the emperor before adding the instance where he arbitrarily imposed private punishments and mistreated a court official.
There was nothing Cao Yan could say to defend this.
Wang Jingzhi steps up to speak, but not in his defense. He dissolves their obvious alliance by agreeing that Cao Yan has disgraced the entire Wei family.
Emperor Chunde orders the guards to take Cao Yun into the dungeon to await judgement. The charge—dereliction of duty and abuse of power.
Finally Cao Yan gets his just desserts! The grief and pain inflicted on Wei Yun just keep on coming. It was already hard enough to lose his father and brothers in battle, but then he had to deal with Cao Yan, who enjoyed watching him suffer more when Cao Yan insisted on removing the bodies and downgrading the coffins and forcing his mother to prove their family’s innocence with her death. Then after burying the family members, Wei Yun wasn’t allowed to go through the grieving process because he had Cao Yan looking to take him out with charges, which he and his family didn’t commit. Cao Yan was so sadistic.
Wei Yun is spared. A cry in Wei Yun’s voice can be heard, and his body shakes as he bows to thank Emperor Chunde for his decision.
The sight of Wei Yun’s body shaking from the suffering he’s experienced sees gazes of sympathy cast upon him. They quickly follow with thanking His Majesty for the wise decision.
Emperor Chunde mentions his connection to Wei Yun’s father as being a study companion during their childhoods, and since Wei Yun’s father died for the country, Emperor Chunde reveals a desire to protect the Wei family bloodline. So, he wishes Wei Yun lives well and restores the Wei household. Emperor Chunde also seems to make a move to have Wei Yun try to understand his reasons for all that’s happened despite his and his family’s century-long loyalty. When asked whether Wei Yun can understand his burdens, Wei Yun provides an answer which pleases not only the emperor but also the ministers: “I am of the Wei family. I will protect the realm, the land, and the people with no regret in life or death.”
Wei Yun is released to see Chu Yu waiting outside Chengqing Gate. Only she is left kneeling with her hands tightly clasped in front of her, waiting for his release in the cold snow. He approaches her slowly and shields her with his umbrella. When she realises he’s before her, Wei Yun tells her he’s come back alive—to which she responds with relief that he didn’t keep her waiting long.
This scene is so beautiful. Before the drama aired, this scene which appeared as a still really captured us. The plain style of Wei Yun’s long blue robe and natural makeup against the white snowy backdrop and Wei Yun holding a bamboo umbrella up to Chu Yu, we love it so much. Accompanying this scene is one of our favourite OSTs in the drama. It’s titled Elegy of Mountains and Rivers, sung by Xiaoshi Guniang. This scene is one of the first scenes, which had us looking forward to seeing the Wei Yun and Chu Yu relationship develop. With Chu Yu only staying at the Wei family because of a motive and Wei Yun being suspicious of Chu Yu, but at the same time captivated by her beauty, it’s a nice, chase-able loveline setup.
Li Changming and Emperor Chunde meet up in private. As well as Li Changming expressing her thoughts on the importance of releasing Wei Yun (which was already mentioned above), the scene reveals a distant relationship. It appears that it was after her marriage to the Jinxi Military Governor that secured Emperor Chunde’s rule that the distance started. For the Jinxi Military Governor’s support, Li Changming married him and suffered endless torment. She escaped that misery, but she never truly healed. And so, this also explains her sway on his decisions. Emperor Chunde owes her a lot. Without her, he wouldn’t be on the throne.
Back at Marquis of Zhenguo’s Mansion, Wanyue makes the suggestion that Chu Yu return home after seeing her fall ill after only a few days being around the Wei family. It looks to have been quite serious, as Wangyue reveals that Chu Yu never fell ill once during the time she was in the south-west with her father and brother. Chu Yu is set on staying. There’s the matter of her needing to stay to carry out her investigations, but she seems to show actual concern for Wei Yun’s condition, as her response to Wanyue is that she doesn’t regret saving Wei Yun.
Chu Linyang also shows up to suggest Chu Yu return home. He was worried about her condition initially, but seeing her on the mend, he worries about her staying at the Wei household in general. He doesn’t want her to sacrifice herself and tells her that there have to be many other ways to find the truth. Chu Yu, again, insists on staying. She believes things will get better. The Wei Family hasn’t fallen. She won’t give up and will keep going.
On Wei Yun’s side, he gets treated for his bone-deep wounds around his ankles. Wei Yun’s concern about Chu Yu’s condition has Wei Yun’s personal guard, Wei Qiu (Ma Hao), report that Chu Yu insists on staying and that she only needs a few days’ rest. There’s no obvious look of suspicion on Wei Yun’s expression on this occasion—only a perplexed frown.
Over at the Duke of Ning’s Mansion, Gu Chusheng is punished with piping hot tea, which overflowed from the teacup he was forced to remain holding. When Li Changming, the Grand Tutor, Li Huan and a good number of ministers pleaded for Wei Yun’s pardon back in the palace, Wang Jingzhi had turned to Chu Gusheng for his support. The response Gu Chusheng gave was silence. He looked down and didn’t add his support.
Ding Yuxi is going to be on the CMG Spring Festival Gala 2026 that’s held on February 16th 2026, with the live broadcast time of 8pm (Beijing Time) and simulcasted on CCTV-1, CCTV-3, and CCTV-4. So, go visit the Yangshiping / 央视频 website or download the Yangshiping / 央视频 iOS app to watch him perform in this year’s gala.
We’ve written about about this Yangshiping / 央视频 app back in 2021 in the blog post, Discover More Chinese Dramas — Our Favourite Streaming Apps. It is the best app for watching all the channels available in China. It’s such a hidden gem for fans of Chinese dramas and variety shows. We were able to catch the cast of Fight for Love on the Chinese variety show, Hello Saturday / 你好星期六, when they were promoting the show through this app. Although, the broadcasts don’t have English subtitles, it provides the ability to watch the shows that are broadcast on channels in China at the same time as audiences in China.
Happy watching! Happy Chinese New Year! Happy Year of the Horse!
