Dear readers, sorry for the delay. The Princess’s Gambit is a 36-episode drama full of complicated characters and problems. The ending was happy, but it was a rocky road. So, if you were curious about that and especially wanted to know what happened to the evil handsome, Mu Wu Yin, don’t worry, I got you covered. So, before I start another round of rumble, let’s get started. Happy reading!
Read Princess’s Gambit Drama Review and Ending Explained here:
The Princess’s Gambit Ending Explained
What Happened to Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua on The Princess’s Gambit Ending?
Jiang Tao Hua, Shen Zai Ye, and their allies did everything they could to save Luocheng. When the gates shut, they fought hard and won. But once they reopened, Jiang Tao Hua’s poison flared up. Shen Zai Ye found her unconscious and saw her flower mark. He immediately realized what was happening.
Qing Tai confessed the antidote was lost during a clash with Empress Lv’s men. Shen Zai Ye went to retrieve it. Qing Tai alerted Zhan Lu, who followed him. Shen Zai Ye found the antidote, but the room was rigged with explosives. He shoved Zhan Lu out just before it blew.
Jiang Tao Hua heard the news and searched the ruins, only to find a scrap of his clothing. She broke down in grief. Regretting that there were many things left unsaid. But then Shen Zai Ye appeared alive. He promised to listen to everything she had to say. They embraced, unaware that far away, Lv Yuan Hua was fuming over their survival.
The city began to recover under Jiang Chang Jue’s leadership, and the people were grateful for it. Shen Zai Ye prepared to take Jiang Tao Hua to Hao City for the antidote. But before they could leave, a guard reported that Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua were spotted heading to Yujing. Shen Zai Ye suspected they were after the throne, and Mu Wu Xia’s life was in danger. They postponed the trip to Hao City.
Jiang Tao Hua asked Jiang Chang Jue to go with her to Qi, but he declined. Instead, Jiang Chang Jue planned to head to Hao City to restore their family’s power. With Lv Yuan Hua away from Beiyun, it was the perfect time to dismantle her faction. They parted ways.
Later, Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua reunited with Mu Wu Xia and Xiang Qing Ying. Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua presented a marriage contract between Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua, which they found in a secret room. They all agree to stop the wedding. But first, they had to persuade the capital garrison commander to protect the emperor. Since the journey was long, Jiang Tao Hua devised a delay tactic.
Jiang Tao Hua snuck into Meng Zhen Zhen’s bridal carriage to speak to her. She revealed that Mu Wu Yin planned to swap Meng Zhen Zhen with Lv Yuan Hua. Meng Zhen Zhen refused to believe until Jiang Tao Hua showed the marriage contract and offered her life if she was wrong.
Meanwhile, Shen Zai Ye and Mu Wu Xia convinced Commander Zhou to help. But he would only act if the emperor appeared. Shen Zai Ye agreed, and the commander waited outside the city. At the temple, they arrived just as Meng Zhong Yan attempted to assassinate the emperor.
After defeating his guards, Shen Zai Ye had him cornered, but Mu Wu Xia was taken hostage. Shen Zai Ye offered himself in exchange and revealed his secret identity. He then distracted the guard with a handkerchief before shooting him.
Back at the capital, Jiang Tao Hua followed Meng Zhen Zhen into the palace. She and Qing Tai stopped a maid from killing her. Then Jiang Tao Hua went to the hall to stall for time. She revealed that it was Lv Yuan Hua beneath the wedding veil. Court officials objected to both the wedding and the coronation. Mu Wu Yin was enraged. But then the emperor appeared.
Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua fled. Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua chased them to Chongde Palace, only to find it engulfed in flames. The pair had perished. But knowing her enemy hadn’t died by her own hand left Jiang Tao Hua with bitter closure.
Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua planned to return to Beiyun for the antidote, but the emperor wanted to adopt Mu Wu Xia as Consort Lan’s son. This could jeopardize Shen Zai Ye’s plan to clear the Xie clan and Consort Shu’s names. So the witchcraft case had to be reopened.
With the Meng family defeated, Shen Zai Ye told Meng Zhen Zhen he’d spare the women and children if she cooperated. She agreed and begged her father to take responsibility. Meng Zhong Yan, furious at first, relented after learning of Mu Wu Yin’s betrayal. He repented, confessed, and revealed the location of Xie Guan Yu’s petition before taking his own life.
Shen Zai Ye and Mu Wu Xia brought both documents to court. Meng Zhong Yan had framed Consort Shu and orchestrated the witchcraft case to protect noble interests. The emperor tried to deflect, but Mu Wu Xia countered him at every turn, earning the court’s support.
Shen Zai Ye revealed he was Xie Guan Yu’s son, Xie Jing An. Though enraged, the emperor had no choice. Shen Zai Ye offered to resign and live as a commoner in exchange for justice. The emperor cleared the Xie clan and Consort Shu’s names.
With his mission complete, Shen Zai Ye left Qi to protect Jiang Tao Hua. Along the way, she overheard that Jiang Chang Jue and the emperor had gone missing. Saddened, she set off to find her brother.
She visited her former master, Qian Mo Chen, who had once aided them to repay Empress Helan’s kindness. Though Jiang Tao Hua distrusted him, he revealed the late emperor’s edict naming Jiang Chang Jue as heir.
Still, Qiao Mo Chen tested Jiang Tao Hua to ensure hardship hadn’t corrupted her. Jiang Tao Hua proved it. Qian Mo Chen finally gave her the edict.
Just then, Lv Yuan Hua’s men attacked. As they fled, Jiang Tao Hua heard Shen Zai Ye’s voice calling her. She rushed to Shen Zai Ye. Qian Mo Chen was stunned to see their closeness. Lv Yuan Hua’s men threatened him, so Qian Mo Chen had no choice but to surrender.
Outside a secret passage, Jiang Tao Hua learned that Qian Mo Chen had let Lv Yuan Hua torture them to buy time. He secretly paved the way for Jiagn Cheng Jue to be a future ruler. He did all that because Qian Mo Chen believed an antidote existed. If only he knew that there wasn’t any antidote, he wouldn’t do that.
Mei Ling, the old woman Jiang Tao Hua saved, was the maker of Jiangtao pills. She confirmed there wasn’t. The medicine only delayed the poison. And because Jiang Tao Hua had consumed it for a long time, her time was running out.
Mei Ling offered to search for a cure, but needed the rare Yinghuo flower. Only Lv Yuan Hua knew where it grew. Shen Zai Ye offered himself as a test subject, taking Jiangtao pills and enduring every failed treatment.
As the poison ravaged him, he finally understood Jiang Tao Hua’s pain. Meanwhile, Jiang Tao Hua saw his suffering. She was moved and guilt-ridden.
Lv Yuan Hua used Qian Mo Chen to lure Jiang Chang Jue. But it backfired, and Jiang Tao Hua reunited with her brother. He was devastated by her condition. Then they learned Qian Mo Chen was also poisoned. Together, they tracked Lv Yuan Hua and rescued him.
Jiang Tao Hua helped free Qian Mo Chen and called him “master” once more. In a final battle, she and Shen Zai Ye were trapped in a cage. Qian Mo Chen saved them, sacrificing his life. Lv Yuan Hua also died. All Yinghuo flowers were destroyed, except one.
Three days later, Jiang Tao Hua awoke with Jiang Chang Jue and Qing Tai at her side. Mei Ling said if she woke, the poison was likely neutralized. But Shen Zai Ye was not there.
Qing Tai revealed Shen Zai Ye had found a Yinghuo flower, but gave most of the cure to her. It wasn’t enough for both. He was now unconscious, sustained only by medicine.
On the end, Zhan Lu gave her a Yinghuo seed, saying Shen Zai Ye wanted her to grow it. It required a special place. Jiang Tao Hua took it to a desert cave and nurtured it. Eventually, it bloomed. But it was too late. Shen Zai Ye remained unconscious. Still, she was willing to wait.
When the peach blossoms bloomed in Beiyun, Shen Zai Ye finally awoke and they reunited.
What Happened to Empress Lv / Lv Yuan Hua on The Princess’s Gambit Ending?
Lv Yuan Hua planned to burn Luocheng to kill Jiang Tao Hua and Shen Zai Ye. But the plan failed, and they survived. As she thought Mu Wu Yin had died, Empress Lv was slightly relieved when he showed up. Yet, she blamed him.
When he asked if Jiang Tao Hua had told the truth, she confessed that living in Qi Palace had been humiliating for her. She said Mu Wu Yin, spoiled by his father, could never understand her suffering. He held her hands and promised to make it right. She reminded him of the time he offered her the State of Qi, but all she got was disappointment.
Mu Wu Yin vowed this time she would get everything she ever wanted. Then he suddenly struck her unconscious, whispering that if he gave her what she desired, she must return the favor.
Lv Yuan Hua awoke in a secret wedding chamber. Her ankle was shackled. Mu Wu Yin revealed he’d killed all Beiyuan spies. Furious, she lashed out at him. But Mu Wu Yin calmly kissed her hand and said he needed to “cut her wings,” only then would she accept being his wife. Lv Yuan Hua realized Mu Wu Yin had gone mad.
To prove his devotion, he drugged his father and forced him to write an abdication edict. Mu Wu Yin happily presented it to Lv Yuan Hua. She said if the throne was her betrothal gift, she’d offer him his life.
On the wedding day, Meng Zhen Zhen was supposed to marry Mu Wu Yin. Instead, Lv Yuan Hua appeared under the veil. But during the coronation, Jiang Tao Hua exposed her identity and crimes. Anxiety set in when Jiang Tao Hua revealed that Lv Yuan Hua was once a palace maid.
When the emperor arrived, Lv Yuan Hua and Mu Wu Yin ran to Chongde Palace. While Mu Wu Yin saw it as a joyful place, she saw only pain and shame. Each day was worse than death, and his affection suffocated her. To her, Mu Wu Yin was the man she hated most.
When he refused to let her go, Lv Yuan Hua kissed Mu Wu Yin to catch him off guard, then stabbed him with his sword. As she fled, Mu Wu Yin used his final strength to set the chamber ablaze, choosing to perish with her.
Mu Wu Yin died that night, but Lv Yuan Hua escaped through a secret passage with her men. Burned and scarred, she returned to Beiyuan Palace. Her first acts were killing Jiang Chang Jue and the emperor. It revealed that before joining the palace, she was a dancer whose life was ruined by a guest.
Which turned out to be the emperor himself. Now, after tasting what power feels like, she refused to step down. Lv Yuan Hua believed the throne was rightfully hers.
At court, officials demanded a new ruler. Lv Yuan Hua announced the emperor’s death and Jiang Chang Jue’s “accidental” passing. She then forced Qian Mo Chen, the poisoned state preceptor, to set a coronation date.
But before her dream came true, she discovered the emperor had secretly written an edict. She traced it to Qian Mo Chen and captured him. Learning Jiang Tao Hua and Shen Zai Ye planned a rescue, she rushed to the secret cave, unaware Jiang Chang Jue had laid a trap.
Despite the ambush, Lv Yuan Hua escaped into a tunnel and saw Jiang Tao Hua helping Qian Mo Chen. Shen Zai Ye arrived just in time to prevent Jiang Tao Hua from being stabbed.
In a room of Yinghuo flowers, Lv Yuan Hua admitted her jealousy towards Jiang Tao Hua because she had noble blood. Lv Yuan Hua, on the other hand, was married to an emperor, but to her, he was nothing more than a lustful fool. She was loved by the son of an emperor, but to her, he was weak and useless. All she wanted was to rise so high that no one could ever step on her again.
Unwilling to let Jiang Tao Hua live, Lv Yuan Hua burned the Yinghuo flowers. As Jiang Tao Hua and Shen Zai Ye knelt near them, Lv Yuan Hua dropped a cage over them and screamed that without Jiang Tao Hua, no one could stop her and she would rule the world.
In the end, it was Qian Mo Chen, though stabbed multiple times, who helped lift the cage up. Refusing to back down, he strangled Lv Yuan Hua with a rope and told the others to flee as the fire engulfed the room.
What Happened to Mu Wu Yin on The Princess’s Gambit Ending?
Empress Lv was revealed to be A Hua, a former palace maid who once cared for Mu Wu Yin as a child. Unlike the others, she stayed by his side, and her loyalty touched him. Over time, Mu Wu Yin fell in love with her.
In Luocheng, Jiang Tao Hua witnessed their reunion. Mu Wu Yin said he would kill Jiang Tao Hua, but even under threat, she didn’t flinch. She called him blind, saying Empress Lv saw everyone as stepping stones. When Jiang Tao Hua asked if it was Empress Lv who planted the idea of treason, Mu Wu Yin denied it. Though deep down inside, he knew.
When Empress Lv left without waiting for him to seal the gate, Mu Wu Yin began to question her. From behind a pillar, he saw Shen Zai Ye, Jiang Tao Hua, Xiang Qing Ying, and Mu Wu Xia working together to open the gate. As he watched them leave hand in hand, Mu Wu Yin wondered if this was what true love had looked like. He feared he was just a pawn for his beloved A Hua.
Mu Wu Yin’s plan for the throne began by bringing Lv Yuan Hua back to Yujing. He lied to the emperor, saying the pill cauldron was broken, and suggested relocating to the royal temple during repairs. The emperor agreed. Later, Meng Zhong Yan offered support if Mu Wu Yin married Meng Zhen Zhen. He accepted.
At the temple, he offered the emperor endless medicine in exchange for abdication. The emperor initially refused fiercely, but because he needed the medicine, he eventually signed the decree. Mu Wu Yin showed it to Lv Yuan Hua, who coldly said she’d give her life if he offered the empire as her dowry. Mu Wu Yin, again, agreed to her request.
The wedding was held in the palace. Ministers whispered that only a ruler could wed like this. Just before they confirmed their suspicion, the guards had already secured the hall. After Mu Wu Yin and his bride entered, the abdication decree was read aloud.
Meanwhile, Meng Zhen Zhen prepared for her own wedding, unaware that a maid had been sent to kill her. Jiang Tao Hua and Qing Tai stopped the attack just in time. Only then did Meng Zhen Zhen realize that Jiang Tao Hua was right.
Back in the hall, the emperor’s abdication stunned the ministers. They came for a wedding, not a coronation. Guards stood by, ready to silence those who opposed.
As the ceremony began, Jiang Tao Hua and Qing Tai burst in. She asked if Mu Wu Yin intended to crown his bride as the empress. Before he could reply, Qing Tai revealed Lv Yuan Hua’s face. A minister recognized her, not of the Meng family. Jiang Tao Hua declared she was Empress Lv of Beiyuan.
Chaos erupted as the ministers demanded answers. Jiang Tao Hua exposed Lv Yuan Hua as the former Qi palace maid and laid out her crimes. Enraged, Mu Wu Yin killed the minister who spoke up. Outside, Meng Zhen Zhen ordered Commander Meng Zhi to open the gates.
As the ceremony neared its end, the emperor appeared. Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua fled as others held off the guards. He led her to Chongde Palace, the place that held his happiest memories. But to Lv Yuan Hua, it was a place of humiliation. Mu Wu Yin wanted to die with her, but Lv Yuan Hua refused and blamed him.
Hearing it from her own lips hurt him more than any rumor. Still, Mu Wu Yin hoped she’d stay. He raised his sword but couldn’t bring himself to use it. In that moment of hesitation, Lv Yuan Hua stabbed him. The last piece of his heart shattered.
At the ending, Mu Wu Yin used his last strength to knock over a candelabrum. As flames engulfed the room, Mu Wu Yin thought: in this life or the next, Lv Yuan Hua would always owe him for shattering his heart.
What Happened to Mu Wu Xia and Xiang Qing Ying on The Princess’s Gambit Ending?
Mu Wu Xia starts to realize his feelings for Xiang Qing Ying. When she bandaged his injured hand, he asked if she had ever held another man’s hand. She said she used to hold her brother’s. Shen Zai Ye had been trained in swordsmanship by her father and worked hard to protect them.
Curious, Mu Wu Xia asked what he was like back then. Xiang Qing Ying said he was wild from the start. Xiang Zhen’ao had taken him in after catching him stealing. He learned fast and often lectured her about ruling with virtue, an ideal she barely remembered. However, the same ideals were stuck with Mu Wu Xia because Xie Jing An once taught him the same.
Mu Wu Xia and Xiang Qing Ying returned to Yujing. Before leaving, he asked Shen Zai Ye if he had anything to say. But there was none. As they entered the city, a messenger arrived from Shen Zai Ye: Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua were already in Yujing.
Mu Wu Xia took a detour, hiding in a secret place while his subordinates updated him on court affairs. He was furious to learn that Qi was suffering floods and drought while Mu Wu Yin ignored it, scheming with Lv Yuan Hua to seize the throne. He snuck into the temple and saw the emperor being forced to write an abdication decree.
After Mu Wu Yin left, Mu Wu Xia entered. The emperor teared up at the sight of him. Mu Wu Xia promised to take him back to the palace, but first asked for a decree to summon reinforcements. The emperor agreed. But without the imperial seal, the garrison commander refused to act unless the emperor appeared in person.
Later, when Meng Zhong Yan’s subordinate held Mu Wu Xia hostage, Shen Zai Ye revealed his identity. Shocked but finally certain, Mu Wu Xia no longer called him chancellor, but brother.
Mu Wu Yin’s coup failed. Shen Zai Ye, Jiang Tao Hua, Mu Wu Xia, and the emperor survived. But Xiang Qing Ying didn’t know this. When she heard Mu Wu Yin and Lv Yuan Hua had died in flames, she panicked.
Only after seeing Mu Wu Xia safe did she relax. Moved by her reaction, he told her he wanted her by his side forever. He’d always feared dragging her into danger, but when he was in peril, he couldn’t stop thinking of her.
After it all ended, Consort Lan hinted she wished to adopt Mu Wu Xia. Unsure what to do, he turned to Shen Zai Ye, who immediately understood the emperor’s intention: to pave a way for Mu Wu Xia by making him Consort Lan’s son. But accepting it meant erasing his late mother, Consort Shu, from the records.
Mu Wu Xia and Shen Zai Ye agreed to request a retrial for the witchcraft case. They already had Mu Zhong Yan’s confession and Xie Guan Yu’s petition. At first, the emperor refused. Yet the emperor had no choice because court officials supported Mu Wu Xia. He finally issued an edict to clear the Xie clan’s name and restore Mu Wu Xia’s mother’s honor.
On the ending, after the case closed, Mu Wu Xia and Xiang Qing Ying parted ways with Shen Zai Ye, who headed to Beiyuan to search for Jiang Tao Hua’s antidote.
My Musing
I was wondering why Jiang Tao Hua and Qian Mo Chen were both poisoned by the Jiangtao Pills, but Jiang Chang Jue wasn’t? Wouldn’t it have been easier for Lv Yuan Hua to poison all of them at once? They would’ve died eventually. But no, she wasn’t that smart and ended up letting Jiang Chang Jue off the hook. Now, she has to go through all this trouble just to kill him.
In the beginning, I thought Mu Wu Xia and Xiang Qing Ying would be the second couple to ship. However, as I wrote this article, I started to feel that Zhan Lu and Qing Tai are also worth shipping. They looked so alike, yet their personalities were total opposites. Qing Tai’s cold and indifferent nature clashed beautifully with Zhan Lu’s chatty and playful vibe. You just can’t stop admiring them. 😁
So, what do you think about the ending, dear readers? Were you satisfied with it, or did you need a little more closure and happiness? Well, everybody has their opinion. But sadly, we just have to accept the ending. Anyhow, I really hope this article helped. I’ll see you in another post of Drama Review and Ending Explained. Until then, goodbye and take care!
