In And the Winner Is Love episode 25, the ambush on Chonghu Palace exposes an imperial conspiracy rather than a mere martial vendetta. Prince Lu orchestrates the assault and a crippling requisition order of 1,500 swords within 70 days, while Shangguan Tou uncovers evidence that court officials treat the martial factions as expendable pawns.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Episode Number | Episode 25 |
| Total Episodes | 48 Episodes |
| Key Characters Involved | Shangguan Tou, Chong Xuezhi, Yuwen Muyuan, Prince Lu (Xue Lie), Shangguan Xing |
| Requisition Demand | 1,500 Mo swords within 70 days |
| Primary Conflict | Sect devastation by Mount Hua and Emei factions backed by imperial authority |
The Devastation of Chonghu Palace and Hidden Betrayals
Chong Xuezhi clears her name regarding the murder of Mount Hua disciples at Mount Lingzhou, yet peace vanishes instantly. Taking advantage of her absence, Feng Sheng of Mount Hua joins forces with the Emei sect to launch a surprise raid on Chonghu Palace.
Wipe out the Chonghu sect for the martial world, and leave none of these remnants alive! — Feng Sheng of Mount Hua
Yuwen Muyuan organizes an unyielding resistance, but the attackers outnumber them. Chonghu Palace's manufacturing workshop burns down, claiming the lives of key artisans and elders. The memorial tablet of former leader Zhong Ye is desecrated before Chong Xuezhi returns in time to repel the invaders with her martial skills.
Why didn't you tell me that You Li was your cousin? Why do you always keep secrets from me? — Chong Xuezhi
Internal strife compounds the physical ruin. You Li, who had been recruited by Mount Hua as an informant, passes away, leaving deep emotional scars. When Chong Xuezhi discovers that Shangguan Tou withheld You Li's biological background, their bond fractures.
If Master Shangguan has no other business, please depart quickly. Chonghu Palace is ruined, and we cannot attend to outside matters. — Chong Xuezhi
Chong Xuezhi requests Shangguan Tou to depart. For readers examining her on-screen garments during these dramatic moments, see the detailed Chong Xuezhi crimson robe and hairpin breakdown.
Prince Lu's Tightening Grip and the 70-Day Mandate
The crisis deepens when the Hedong Military Governor delivers an impossible decree: Chonghu Palace must supply 1,500 Mo swords within 70 days. Chonghu Palace normally provides 500 swords per year. Demanding three times their annual output within ten weeks—right after their armory and foundries burned down—functions as a sanctioned death sentence through military statute.
Whether Chonghu Palace can stand up again depends on whether Palace Master Chong possesses the capacity to lead. — Prince Lu's Advisor
Prince Lu Xue Lie calms his advisor over a game of Weiqi, appraising Chonghu Palace's survival prospects. Prince Lu previously dispatched an envoy offering an alliance at Mount Lingzhou, which Chong Xuezhi rejected outright.
Brother Muyuan, I have thought it through and feel I must tell you. Back at Mount Lingzhou, Prince Lu sent a special envoy to approach me. — Chong Xuezhi
The coordinated siege and impossible weapon levy represent an orchestrated stranglehold. Prince Lu uses state power to back the sect into financial and legal insolvency, forcing Chong Xuezhi to surrender autonomy to his royal camp.
Father never yielded, and we cannot back down easily either. The most urgent task right now is producing the Mo swords. — Yuwen Muyuan
Facing empty treasuries after burying fallen disciples and restoring halls, Chonghu Palace struggles even to pay laborer wages in Anping County. Yuwen Muyuan urges endurance, while Chong Xuezhi resolves to pawn her personal jewelry to hire skilled craftsmen and meet the deadline.
Imperial Currents: The State as Deep Water and Sects as Fish
Parallel subplots accelerate the central conflict. Feng She discovers his father's ties to notorious martial figures and parts ways with Shangguan Tou to uncover his heritage. Shangguan Tou secretly assigns his guard Wu Ming to shadow Feng She and preserve his safety.
Shangguan Tou returns to Dongdu for his father Shangguan Xing's fiftieth birthday banquet. Inquiring into the epidemic and Mount Hua's aggression, Shangguan Tou receives a sobering lesson about imperial reality.
You misunderstand the situation. The imperial court is a deep pool of water, while the martial world is merely fish swimming inside it. — Shangguan Xing
Shangguan Xing shatters the assumption that the martial world operates independently. The bloody disputes between sects are orchestrated moves directed by imperial figures. The true antagonist is not Feng Sheng, but Prince Lu.
Do you truly understand Prince Lu's intentions? — Shangguan Tou
Shangguan Tou's mounting vigilance foreshadows open psychological combat with Prince Lu. Subsequent developments in royal attire and factional power struggles unfold in the Episode 26 styling overview, while the imperial conflict culminates further in the Episode 29 plot resolution.
Frequently asked questions
Why did Mount Hua and Emei attack Chonghu Palace in episode 25?
Led by Mount Hua's Feng Sheng, the allied sects launched an assault while Chong Xuezhi was away. Under the guise of purging a demonic faction, their coordinated raid destroyed the manufacturing workshops and killed numerous disciples.
What is the significance of the 1,500 Mo swords order?
The Hedong Military Governor ordered Chonghu Palace to forge 1,500 Mo swords in 70 days. Because the sect normally produces only 500 swords per year and their forges were burnt down, failure to comply constitutes a capital military offense, functioning as legal coercion orchestrated by Prince Lu.
What truth did Shangguan Xing reveal to Shangguan Tou?
Imperial Advisor Shangguan Xing explained that the imperial court is like deep water and the martial world resembles fish inside it, illustrating that factional vendettas are actually manipulated by court royals such as Prince Lu.