Spoilers Ahead: Li'er Rescues The Lost…

Spoilers Ahead: Li'er Rescues The Lost Emperor

We open to General Meng and Li who are discussing their predicament: the emperor is missing but if they send out search parties it will alert the enemy.  So they send for the one person who can be counted upon no matter what.

If you thought it was Han, you are wrong.
Li'er returns, because, she explains, once she heard about the missing emperor she couldn't not come.  And the two men present agree that Li'er is the best person to find him.  

Literally in the next scene she has found him.  Li'er tracks down the king, they take refuge in the cave nearby, and a series of sentimental scenes follow.  Essentially the emperor is beside himself with joy that she has returned to him, and is astounded because he thought she was gone forever (most people would leave after what he did) but she said she was too worried for him.  

Li'er proceeds to explain the predicament his army is in, and he immediately reacts with anger towards his generals for hesitating to attack because he was lost (really?? he's the king! he controls everything! there is no one to fall back on if he dies!)(I also think he would be mad if they went ahead and attacked)  She lectures him for his quick temper and begs him to promise to not punish his men because they care about him after sending a messenger bird (that she had stored away somewhere) to go ahead and attack after he gives the okay

He is noncommital, which is consistent.  Instead he focuses on her and how happy he is to be with her.

Meanwhile, Prince Yan listens to his advisor as they discuss the war--Yan thinks it is weird that the emperor is attacking the always loyal Han.  But his advisor implores him to think about Zheng's personality--he can make up any reason to attack (implying he is a tyrant) and loyalty does not matter when it is a barrier to his desire to conquer the world (true).  He tells him the only way they can survive is if they kill him (also true).

Meanwhile...

Li'er and the emperor manage to get new clothes and are travelling as a regular man and wife.  They arrive at the city that will soon be attacked by Qin and manage to stay with a kind female merchant.  Over dinner she shares her heartbreaking story: that Qin has taken her whole family from her and that it is an evil country.  Li'er listens empathetically.

Zheng defends the king and gently tells her that the king wants to unite everyone.  In his typical fashion of I know what's best.  Naturally this triggers the old woman (because Zheng is arguably the most selfish guy in this narrative) who wonders if he wants a kingdom of corpses (basically).

The next day Zheng learns that Li'er is pregnant, and has been since he imprisoned her, but she kept it to herself because she didn't think he would believe her.  He is incredibly happy and promises her that he will quickly unify the nations and make a self world for her, Tian Ming, and their new son.  What a loving father.

His men show up, and his identity is revealed to the old woman who is literally stunned and shocked that he is the king of Qin.  In typical Zheng fashion, the emperor promises to give her anything to make her happy.  He still doesn't understand that some things can never be fixed, and the old woman says she wants his life and grabs a sword.  General Meng kills her to protect the king, and then the king screams, why did you kill her?  Well...he was trying to protect him...

(Honestly I think he only cares because Li'er is there).

The old woman dies in her arms, and Li'er tells him that as much as she supports his dream of peace and unity, she doesn't think all this death is worth it and he vehemently disagrees.

End episode

Thoughts:
First, I need to go back and watch the episodes 25-36.
BUT I think Li'er and the emperor are like those two people you know who constantly break up and make up, who are toxic for each other, but love each other.  She is a weakness of his, and he doesn't know how to love someone in a healthy way so he hurts her, and she can't make peace with the fact that he is an awful person, and can't seem to really accept that he is not going to change.  Which makes her upset.  

I also think they gloss over some things that normally most people would address.  Like they make up too quickly, but that could be because they have an unhealthy relationship and are both fairly fickle people or it could be bad writing.  Who knows.  I am becoming a bit impatient with the make up-break up writing.  For him, it makes sense, but her character, I think she really needs to just let go of some things IF she wants to he happy with him because he is NEVER going to change.

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