A Girl Like Me Episode 11 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Following their discussion, Ban Hua and Rong Xia agreed that a fake engagement was not a suitable solution for the situation with Yan Zhen. Ban Heng then proposed a wager: whoever could resolve the issue with Yan Zhen without causing physical harm or appealing to His Majesty would win, with the loser owing the winner a single wish. Both Rong Xia and Ban Hua accepted the challenge, each confident in their own victory.
Soon after, Mrs. Yan arrived at the Ban Mansion with a matchmaker to formally propose marriage on her son's behalf, creating a public spectacle with loud pronouncements. Upon learning of the visit, Ban Hua calmly had her servants open the gates, toss a basket of frogs and toads onto the matchmaker’s entourage, and then shut the gates again. Prompted by Ban Hua’s servants, the matchmaker's party began shouting that Mrs. Yan had fainted.
Ban Huai grew concerned about the potential scandal of Mrs. Yan dying at their doorstep, but Ban Hua, citing a military strategy to "lure the enemy in deep," insisted on letting them in. Inside, Ban Hua bluntly informed Mrs. Yan she would not marry her son. When Mrs. Yan suggested discussing the matter over tea, Ban Hua claimed her household had neither tea nor water.
The standoff was interrupted by the arrival of the Princess Royal, who demanded to know if Mrs. Yan was there to propose or to force a marriage. Mrs. Yan pleaded that her son was lovesick and promised to treat Ban Hua well, but the Princess Royal was unyielding, stating her granddaughter would never marry into the Yan family. In response, Mrs. Yan threatened to have her husband and a group of scholars petition His Majesty for an imperial marriage decree.
Enraged by this threat to her grandmother, Ban Hua declared that even if Yan Zhen were the last man alive, she would sooner become a nun than marry him. Mrs. Yan dismissed her words as youthful defiance and smugly claimed His Majesty would support the union, but Ban Hua challenged her, mockingly offering to "play along" if she wished. Prime Minister Yan later sought an audience with His Majesty, ostensibly to apologize for his wife offending the Princess Royal.
When His Majesty deflected, advising him to resolve it with the Princess Royal directly, Prime Minister Yan revealed his true motive: he sought the marriage alliance to counterbalance the growing power of the Shi family, fearing their influence if the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne. While His Majesty acknowledged the political reasoning, he maintained that it was a family matter and left the final decision to the Princess Royal.
Two days later, the gossip about Mrs. Yan's visit had vanished, replaced by a new narrative orchestrated by Mrs. Yan, who had spent a large sum of money to portray her son as a lovesick martyr. Furious, Ban Hua decided to fight fire with fire. After consulting her father, Ban Huai, on finding courtiers who would spread information for a price, a memorial was presented to His Majesty.
It began by criticizing Ban Hua but then pivoted to praising the Yan family with such outrageous hyperbole—claiming the nation's prosperity depended on them—that His Majesty, infuriated by the insolence, ordered the arrest of those spreading the rumors. In the midst of this, Rong Xia’s aide, Du Jiu, and Ban Hua’s servant, Softy, while paying people to spread their respective counter-rumors, discovered they were the opposing forces in this information war.
Count Cheng’an (Rong Xia) defended Ban Hua before His Majesty, arguing that Yan Zhen’s coercive tactics were improper and that forcing a marriage would erode social morals. When His Majesty asked if he had feelings for Ban Hua, Rong Xia denied it, stating that Princess Ban was of such noble status that she was "beyond his reach." He clarified that he was merely helping to resolve a court dispute.
Disappointed, His Majesty promised to personally arrange a marriage for Rong Xia, whom he regarded as a son. Later, the Princess Royal warned Ban Hua to keep her distance from Rong Xia, calling him the Emperor's "henchman" and cautioning that those who thrive so close to power are rarely simple. Ban Hua, however, maintained her belief that while Rong Xia might be cunning, he was not a bad person.
Overjoyed to learn from the Crown Princess that Rong Xia had denied any interest in Ban Hua, Shi Feixian went to a rouge shop, where she ran into Ban Hua. Shi Feixian mockingly congratulated her on the impending marriage, prompting Ban Hua to subtly ridicule her in return, wishing her success in winning over the "swan," Count Cheng’an.
After a sharp exchange over a new batch of rouges, which Ban Hua ultimately claimed, Shi Feixian retorted that while inanimate objects like rouge couldn't refuse Ban Hua, people could, pointedly alluding to her high status making her unapproachable. News of Rong Xia's "beyond his reach" comment reached the Ban family. While her family tried to interpret the words favorably, suggesting he felt unworthy, Ban Hua was deeply angered, seeing it as a personal rejection.
Meanwhile, Xie Chongjin continued to urge Rong Xia to seek revenge for his family's downfall, presenting evidence of the Yan family's corruption. Rong Xia refused to be drawn into court politics, claiming he was no longer interested in old grudges. After he left, Xie Chongjin revealed his plan to Prince Luo: they would use Rong Xia’s desire for revenge as a weakness, first eliminating the Yan family and then redirecting his animosity toward the Princess Royal, forcing his hand.
Later, Rong Xia confided in Du Jiu that he feared the fall of the Yan family would trigger factional strife and bring ruin to countless families, a tragedy he believed his own deceased family would not have wanted. He then gave Du Jiu a letter to deliver to the Ban family, hoping it would aid them. His Majesty summoned Minister Shi and his grandson, Shi Jin, with Rong Xia also present.
After confirming Shi Jin's unmarried status, the Emperor remarked that the proposed Yan-Ban marriage was imperfect. He asked Shi Jin if he would help resolve the matter, and upon his agreement, His Majesty suggested that Shi Jin also harbored feelings for Ban Hua, declaring it a perfect match and instructing Minister Shi to proceed. After the audience, Shi Jin confronted Rong Xia, warning him to stay away from Ban Hua.
Rong Xia countered that marriage requires mutual affection, not just an implied royal wish. Shi Jin questioned his motives for being near Ban Hua despite his professed disinterest, but Rong Xia retorted that if anyone were to harm the princess, he would be the first to protect her, not Shi Jin. Later, Ban Hua saw Rong Xia’s carriage.
Remembering his words and Shi Feixian's taunts, she became angry, interpreting his "beyond my reach" comment not as a sign of respect, but as a deliberate and condescending refusal. As this unfolded, Mrs. Yan escalated her efforts dramatically, arriving at the Ban Mansion with two coffins.
She presented her frail-looking son, Yan Zhen, and declared that if Ban Hua did not agree to the marriage, one coffin was for her son, and the other was for herself, as she knelt and begged the Princess Royal to spare their lives by consenting to the union.
