The Advisors Alliance 大军师司马懿之军师联盟 - Episode 14 (Recap)

kakashi: Oh shit. We just knew Sima Lang would get into trouble, didn't we? That was fast.

panda: I could smell it the minute Weasel thought of the idea.

Jo: Dumbass.

Episode 14

When Cao Pi sees that his wife talks to Sima Yi (who is very busy keeping his head down, ahahahaa, someone doesn't want to be exiled) to get him to ask for his brother's return to the capital, Cao Pi doesn't react kindly. Yup, he's enjoying his status as sole son in his father's vicinity. However, Sima Yi tells him sternly that Cao Cao wants to see the two brothers happy together. So, asking kindness for his brother would benefit him. But Cao Pi doesn't want to hear and gets quite nasty (and btw, one of his exiled friends died due to some sickness).
He has a right to be bitter but to be a good leader you need to suck it up at times and be strategic. I think he's letting this get to his head a bit treating Sima Yi like a servant.
I did think he was really harsh here, but don't you guys think these two fight like 10 year old boys?

Sima Yi's sons have grown into cuuuuuties. So...Sima Yi is skipping court - or rather, the grand opening of a garden Cao Pi was in charge of building! I guess he is teaching Cao Pi a lesson?
Awwww, the younger one is so adorable. 
The younger one needs his behind paddled.

Yang Weasel weasels in front of the door and is a goddamn smart ass (again, he's the only one who gets a word riddle Cao Cao poses) ... and ends his weaseling by asking Cao Cao to bring Zhi Jian back. Cao Pi takes a deep breath and ... asks the same. Amazing, Cao Pi. You do listen! And even though you throw hissy fits often, you are a smart guy. Indeed, Cao Cao is very happy. Little bro can come back.

Cao Cao looks very satisfied with himself in his King hat. LOL. For a minute I was worried Cao Pi was going to protest Weasel's suggestion. Thank goodness he found some common sense.

I just find it a little disconcerting when we see him make exactly the opposite move from what he just fussed about in the previous scene, and we never get any of his thought process while he was changing his mind  It's so abrupt this way.

Wenruo darling is sick TT________TT But he is sexily praying to the ancestors while under the weather. Oh no, it's something serious!!! He says the King - who has sent his physician - cannot cure him. It also seems he is no longer going to court not only because he's sick, but also because he does not approve of Cao Cao's action of crowning himself King. In fact, he is heartbroken that twenty years have passed since he has started following Cao Cao and no peace has followed.
I am heartbroken it seems he will soon leave our screeens TT__TT
Don't worry, I'm sure they will have flashbacks.

When Sima Yi hears of Cao Pi's deed, he rushes to Deputy Commander's house and pretty quickly admits that he skipped court to avoid him. Cao Pi takes it with humor. The bromance is very strong.
Scene was quite funny. LOL.
Let's eat grapes! There's only grapes?  No, there's rice, too.

Awww, Cao Pi waits at the gate for his little brother... with Tiger General. Sima Yi declined because he doesn't want to drink with the latter :D But Yang WEASEL tells Zi Jian to quickly go to the palace to see his father and his mother. Cao Pi isn't angry - he even gives Zi Jian the coat his mother and wife made for him. Oups, hearing his "sister in law" made this for him seems to stir all kinds of feelings in Zi Jian. Are we going to have a problem?
Whenever i see Weasel below I know there's trouble on the way. He genuinely looked worried here though which made me nervous.
Well, would your parents be pleased if you chose to get drunk with your sibling before saying hello to them? Seem pretty disrespectful.

In a moment of inattention of Weasel and One-Eye, Tiger General manages to drag little bro away to do some drinking. Hehe. They leave older Sima Brother as watchdog. Zi Jian is soon quite wasted - it's very late, but he still insists on going to see Mom and Dad. Is it true that Cao Pi is planning something sinister?
I don't think so... But the BG music...
I think what comes next isn't planned, but this whole drink thing clearly had to be, and there's no way it would make his brother look good.

Sima Lang, who seems to have had a few too many too, tries to get them entry at the inner city gate - it's called Sima Gate?! - but nope, no entry at this hour. Actually, no entry at all on horseback or wagon except for the KING and the king's messengers (all the others need to walk through). There's a very stubborn guard. His names is Cui Shen... once removed BIL of Cao Zhi, but he says he isn't at all related to him in this capacity and he won't let him pass.
Cui Shen looks so familiar!!! 
This will not end well.

Silly little drunk Zi Jian takes the reins and breaks his wagon into the gate, riding like the devil, laughing crazily. Oh no...he wakes his father, who is on high alert instantly. Wenruo is up too (in Minister's garb, is he recovered?) ... and even though he learns who it is making this ruckus, he decides not to tell the King.
Was this the nefarious plan? Cao Pi surely couldn't have predicted this, could he? Why didn't Wenruo want to report it, I wonder. Does he suspect CaoPi had a hand in this?
I think a) he wants no part of this, b) why not let Mr. Doesn't Know His Limit deal with the true fall out?

So, what Zi Jian did (ride through the King's gate) is punishable by death. What an idiot! Cao Cao vows to his sobbing wife he will not let his son die like this (okay) and then, we see Weasel and One-Eye plot. They think it was Sima Lang who wanted this. All they need now is a false confession.
I don't think I would have lived past 10 years in the olden days. Everything is punishable by death! Cao Cao is still so affected by his son's death :((
How old are the older sons supposed to be? They look like they're in the mid to late 30s, and I'm still shocked she's their mother AND Chonger's mother.

When Sima Yi hears about the calamity, he knows immediately what's up. He rushes to his brother's place (bro has a bad hangover). He hears from him that it was Zi Jian's idea and that there is a witness... the Cui guard. Unless he testifies for Sima Lang, Sima Lang is basically dead. As the guards storm the Sima place to arrest Sima Lang, we end the episode with the Cuis ... the nephew is as upright as his father, but will they be strong enough to resist the evil machinations of Yang Weasel and his willing helper? Of course, they have dirt on Mr. Cui.
So, I was wrong and Cao Pi did plan to get is brother drunk as to make him misbehave. Tsk Tsk. I am oddly disappointed although I know the other side would have done same in a heartbeat. The situation with Sima bro is bad, I wonder how Sima Yi will get him out of this.
There's no way he wouldn't have known how bad it would look. It might backfire on him, though.

Comments

Dammit. I have come to respect the stiff Mr. Cui, so I do hope he does the right thing. I don't want Zi Jian to die, but he's an idiot and he committed a crime. He is the one who needs punishment. Not death...that's too extreme. I'm sure Cao Cao will find a way. Or rather...Sima Yi will.
Maybe this will even make Cao Cao and Sima Yi work together in secret? I want to see that.
Ooooooh, me too!