A Girl Like Me Episode 16 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Following the passing of the Princess Royal, Ban Hua was distraught. To lift her spirits, Ban Heng suggested they go listen to a famous storyteller at the Feixian House. Ban Hua, however, responded with a bittersweet remark, acknowledging Ban Heng’s efforts and offering him money to go alone. Meanwhile, His Majesty offered Ban Huai a promotion from Marquis Jingting to Duke Jingting.
Ban Huai humbly declined, citing a lack of contributions, but His Majesty insisted, declaring that he would personally care for the Ban family to ensure their peace of mind. At the same time, Ban Hua requested to reject her engagement to Count Cheng’an. Her stated reasons were to fulfill her filial duty by guarding her grandmother’s memorial tablet and her lack of affection for Count Cheng’an.
Despite His Majesty’s concern about the hardship of such a duty, Ban Hua remained resolute. Impressed by her filial piety, His Majesty reluctantly agreed to postpone the marriage. Ban Hua then made a final visit to the Mansion of Peace and Longevity. Inside the familiar estate, every corner held memories of her beloved grandmother.
As she grieved, she recalled a tender moment from her childhood when she and Ban Heng presented gifts to their grandmother—Ban Hua a clumsy embroidery, and Ban Heng a supposedly authentic official porcelain from a former dynasty, which Ban Hua quickly dismissed as a fake. Their grandmother, however, cherished their intentions above all, reminding them that their presence was the true gift.
Ban Hua resolved to keep smiling, just as her grandmother loved to see, vowing that no one would ever bully the Ban family in the capital. Outside the ancestral hall, Rong Xia observed Ban Hua from a distance. Learning that she had not eaten or drunk for days, Akeqi rushed in, urging her to eat. He offered her jerky, a specialty from his home state, but Ban Hua found it unappealing.
Although she refused the jerky, she accepted a unique umbrella Akeqi had crafted himself, marveling at his unexpected skill. Akeqi persisted, trying to convince Ban Hua to marry him and return to the prairie, but she firmly dismissed the idea, telling him to wait until her next life. Later, Ban Heng brought food for Ban Hua. She started to eat the porridge, but upon seeing the character “Rong” on the food box, she realized it was sent by Rong Xia.
Still upset by his perceived deceit, she refused to eat. Outside, Rong Xia was visibly anxious. His steward, Uncle Rong, advised him that perhaps Ban Hua desired honesty more than food. Taking this to heart, Rong Xia approached Ban Hua at the Princess Royal’s tablet, prepared to reveal the full truth. Rong Xia explained that before he searched the Mansion of Peace and Longevity, he had met with the Princess Royal.
She had given him his mother’s last letter, which revealed the tragic history of their families. His Majesty, fearing General Ban’s Tiger Tally, had silently sanctioned a scheme by Yan Hui. Exploiting the close ties between the Ban and Rong families, Yan Hui coerced Rong Xia’s father to seize the Tiger Tally—a ruthless trap where either the Ban family or the Rong family would be destroyed.
The Rong family was ultimately annihilated; Rong Xia’s father was executed, and his brother was assassinated. His mother exchanged her life to save him, entrusting him to the Princess Royal, who then sent him to the Crown Prince for protection. Rong Xia further disclosed that he and the Princess Royal, assessing the court’s volatile state, had used the enemy’s own trick against them by deceiving the traitorous butler, Cui.
He never anticipated, however, that the Princess Royal would sacrifice her own life to ensure the Ban family’s safety. She had endured years of hardship, concealing her true capabilities, but expressed no regrets. The Princess Royal then entrusted Ban Hua’s well-being to Rong Xia, who swore to protect her and never betray that trust.
Finally understanding the Princess Royal’s painstaking efforts, Ban Hua learned that the assassin had been arranged by her grandmother herself—a desperate measure to gain His Majesty’s sympathy and protect the Ban family from further harm. Despite this, Ban Hua was furious with Rong Xia for keeping the truth from her, blaming him for her grandmother’s sacrifice. She accused him of constant scheming that she claimed ultimately cost her grandmother’s life.
Rong Xia denied plotting against the Princess Royal, explaining that she was already terminally ill and he had only agreed to her plan to protect the Ban family from future suffering. Unconvinced and heartbroken, Ban Hua ordered him to leave. As he departed, Ban Hua watched his solitary figure, tears streaming down her face. After days without food, compounded by her overwhelming grief, Ban Hua succumbed to a cold and fainted.
Her parents, Ban Huai and Yin Shi, were deeply worried. Yin Shi reflected that they needed to carefully consider what was truly best for Ban Hua. Later, Shi Jin approached Ban Hua, reaffirming his feelings for her. He pledged to protect and cherish her, promising to wait until she had moved on from Count Cheng’an. Ban Hua, however, gently turned him down.
She confided in him about her recurring, prophetic dreams: the Xie family breaking off their engagement, Xie Qilin being blind, her grandmother’s death, and finally, the Ban family’s downfall. Fearing she would implicate others, she sought to avoid any attachments. Shi Jin expressed disbelief that a mere dream could scare her, noting it was unlike the Ban Hua he knew. She thanked him but apologized, reiterating her decision.
Reflecting on a message from her grandmother, who wished for her to live a free and unburdened life, Ban Hua urged Ban Heng to take his role as the family’s only male heir seriously. She made him promise to diligently practice martial arts under Softy’s supervision, emphasizing that if her premonitions came true, he would have to protect their family. Showing newfound maturity, Ban Heng agreed. Meanwhile, Xie Chongjin visited Rong Xia, representing Prince Luo.
He accused Rong Xia of leveraging the search of the Princess Royal’s mansion to secure his engagement to Ban Hua for political maneuvering. He questioned the whereabouts of the Tiger Tally, suggesting it was hidden in Duke Jingting’s Mansion, a theory supported by the fact that Minister Shi had sent an agent to infiltrate the residence. Xie Chongjin then proposed that with Rong Xia's marriage, he could easily obtain the Tiger Tally.
In exchange for Rong Xia’s help, Prince Luo would gain significant power and would, in turn, grant Rong Xia whatever he desired. Rong Xia, however, recalled his conversation with the Princess Royal and knew she had already entrusted the highly coveted item to him. Elsewhere, Softy caught Ban Heng trying to sneak out of his martial arts practice. Ban Heng quickly concocted a story about needing to confirm urgent information regarding Prince Luo.
Shortly after, Mr. Yao approached Rong Xia, attempting to arrange a marriage between him and Shi Feixian. Rong Xia politely declined, stating he was already engaged but could not reveal his fiancée's identity during the Princess Royal’s mourning period, asking for discretion.
