A Girl Like Me Episode 15 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Jiang Luo visited Xie Chongjin in prison, complaining about the foul smell. Xie Chongjin implied Jiang Luo was to blame for his predicament, stating he wouldn't be there if Jiang Luo hadn't rushed him back to the capital. Jiang Luo countered that he was forced to act quickly after his father secretly summoned the Crown Prince, leaving him no choice but to use Princess Royal’s disaster relief funds since he lacked the Ban family’s wealth.
Xie Chongjin, feeling helpless in prison, was unable to offer advice. Jiang Luo promised to arrange his release, but admitted he still didn't fully trust Rong Xia, despite Rong Xia having defended Xie Chongjin before His Majesty that day. Xie Chongjin, however, remained unconcerned, confident that his elaborate "interlocked stratagems" would be sufficient to ruin Rong Xia if he proved disloyal. Meanwhile, Cui was caught by Madam Chang attempting to secretly place a bracelet in Princess Royal's study.
He feigned tidying the dust-covered room. Shortly after, Rong Xia arrived at the Mansion of Peace and Longevity with soldiers, citing an imperial edict to search for hidden individuals and protect the mansion from thieves and refugees. Madam Chang vehemently resisted, asserting the loyalty of the Princess Royal's long-serving staff and warning against disturbing Her Highness. Rong Xia insisted he was merely following His Majesty's direct orders and, when Madam Chang refused to yield, ordered her arrest.
Ban Hua then stepped forward, attempting to block Rong Xia and threatening him directly. Rong Xia reiterated the imperial order, but Ban Hua refused to move. Princess Royal intervened, ordering Madam Chang to take Ban Hua to a side hall for rest. Princess Royal then allowed Rong Xia to proceed with the search. Ban Hua questioned why His Majesty would send Rong Xia, a friend of the Ban family, and why Rong Xia was so determined.
During his search, Rong Xia located the bracelet in Princess Royal's study. Rong Xia then confronted Princess Royal with the bracelet, identifying it as his deceased mother's bequest. He accused Princess Royal of concealing it and implied her involvement in his parents' unexplained deaths, questioning how she could have slept soundly all these years. Enraged, Princess Royal spat blood. Ban Hua rushed to her grandmother’s side, furiously demanding to know what Rong Xia had done.
Rong Xia evaded her direct questions, stating he had only asked Princess Royal a few questions and Ban Hua should inquire with her grandmother for the reason behind her distress. Ban Hua, accusing him of betraying his promise to protect her grandmother and threatening to report him to His Majesty, was met with Rong Xia’s calm assertion that he would report everything himself.
Jiang Luo, upon hearing of Princess Royal's condition, was overjoyed, anticipating the downfall of the Ban family and the dethronement of the Crown Prince. However, Rong Xia later met with Jiang Luo and clarified that Princess Royal must remain alive, as he intended to extract information about the Tiger Tally from her. Intrigued, Jiang Luo agreed to this revised plan, seeing the potential for greater power.
Ban Hua, filled with regret, confided in her grandmother that she shouldn't have trusted Rong Xia. Princess Royal comforted her, acknowledging that His Majesty might have acted without fear, knowing her time was short. Princess Royal then expressed a sudden longing for pomegranates. Since pomegranates were out of season, Ban Hua, with the help of her maids, set about making symbolic "dough pomegranates," which, after much effort, they successfully completed.
Princess Royal's health continued to deteriorate, and despite Madam Chang's misgivings, she insisted on taking more of her "golden pellets." Ban Hua brought the freshly made dough pomegranates, and Princess Royal received them with delight. The next day, after observing the sleeping Ban Hua and noting their striking resemblance and Ban Hua's fiery spirit, Princess Royal decided to go to the palace, expressing her wish to die in the Daye Imperial Palace, where she was born.
Dressed meticulously, she arrived to meet Emperor Yunqing. She casually told His Majesty she had come uninvited, and they reminisced about his childhood, recalling a specific memory of him as a young boy bringing her a snow-covered branch. Princess Royal reaffirmed her steadfast affection for His Majesty, regardless of time or circumstances. Meanwhile, Ban Hua awoke from a terrifying nightmare foreboding her grandmother's death, instinctively sensing danger, and immediately rode her horse towards the palace.
Ban Hua's frantic rush to the palace was intercepted by Shi Jin and the imperial guards. She was knocked from her horse but defiantly threatened anyone who stood in her way. Rong Xia arrived shortly after, urging Ban Hua to trust him and promising to take her to Princess Royal. He decisively forced his way past the guards, accepting full responsibility for violating palace rules. Inside, a tea servant drew a hidden blade, lunging at Emperor Yunqing.
Without hesitation, Princess Royal shielded His Majesty, taking the fatal blow herself. Rong Xia carried Ban Hua into the palace, where she found her grandmother gravely wounded. The imperial physician regretfully pronounced that Princess Royal’s wound was beyond cure. Ban Hua was distraught. Princess Royal, in her final moments, called for Ban Hua and her parents, Ban Huai and Madam Yin.
She asked Ban Hua if she was married and who her husband was, then, looking at Rong Xia, implored him to "be nice to Hua." Her last wish was to be buried alongside her beloved husband, Old General Ban. Her family wept as she passed away. Following Princess Royal’s death, Rong Xia immediately approached Emperor Yunqing, requesting a marriage by imperial order to Ban Hua, stating his long-standing admiration for Countess Fule and his pledge to Princess Royal.
Although surprised, His Majesty eventually granted the request. Princess Royal was mourned with the highest honors, receiving the posthumous title of Princess Royal Dening and being interred with Old General Ban in the Ban family's ancestral hall, as per her dying wish. A three-month period of national mourning was declared, accompanied by a general amnesty. Taking advantage of the amnesty, Xie Chongjin was released from prison.
Simultaneously, Madam Chang cornered Cui, who pleaded for forgiveness, admitting his greed, but Madam Chang exacted her vengeance for his betrayal, killing him. Jiang Luo confronted Xie Chongjin, frustrated that Rong Xia and the Ban family seemed to be growing closer instead of warring. Xie Chongjin redirected Jiang Luo’s focus, asserting that the Ban family and Rong Xia were no longer the priority. Instead, the true key to power lay in obtaining the Tiger Tally, which would grant military control.
Emperor Yunqing, overwhelmed by grief, neglected the investigation into the assassination. Rong Xia urged His Majesty to address the matter, suggesting Princess Royal would not rest peacefully otherwise. When Shi Jin reported his failure to uncover the assassin's origins, enraging Emperor Yunqing, Rong Xia volunteered to personally investigate the case, earning the Emperor’s complete trust. Later, at the memorial hall, Ban Hua confronted Rong Xia, demanding answers.
She questioned how he knew she would rush to the palace that fateful day, why he insisted on searching the Mansion of Peace and Longevity, and, most importantly, what he had truly done to her grandmother in the study. Ban Hua directly threatened him, vowing that if he had any involvement in her grandmother's death, she would never forgive him.
