A Girl Like Me Episode 19 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Ban Hua playfully rewarded Rong Xia with a kiss, much to the shock of her maids, who exclaimed that it was inappropriate for an unmarried young lady. Ban Hua, however, was unfazed, declaring it wasn't their first kiss and that she would wear a dazzling dress to Prince Luo's wedding to see if her dream would come true. The next day, Rong Xia waited an hour for Ban Hua before they entered Prince Luo's wedding ceremony hand-in-hand.
Rong Xia showed concern for Ban Hua's comfort, even offering snacks from his carriage. He instructed his subordinate, Du Jiu, to help her maid, Miss Ruan, carry her belongings, reminding him to be a gentleman. Inside, Shi Feixian presented Xie Wanyu with a large, precious luminous pearl as a wedding gift. Despite the lavish present, Xie Wanyu confided in Shi Feixian that she was uncertain about the marriage.
The Empress arrived, gifting Xie Wanyu her own old wedding items and advising her to seek help if she ever felt wronged by Jiang Luo. As the Empress left, a maid whispered to her, and the Empress cast a lingering, thoughtful glance at Shi Feixian. Jiang Luo and Xie Wanyu then completed their wedding ceremony. Having been elevated to imperial kin, Count Xie, Xie Wanyu's father, openly gloated to Ban Huai.
Observing the Crown Prince affectionately feeding his wife, Suyue, Rong Xia suggested Ban Hua feed him as well, which she did, remarking that food he fed her tasted better. At the wedding, the Empress unexpectedly turned her attention to Shi Feixian, expressing her intent to arrange a marriage for her and suggesting Xie Qilin, the second son of the Xie family, as a suitable match. Count Xie was overjoyed by the prospect, but Prime Minister Shi looked visibly displeased.
Shi Feixian attempted to refuse, but Xie Qilin preemptively declined the Empress's offer, stating that he had already missed the one he truly wished to marry and no longer had any desire for marriage. The Emperor quickly intervened, downplaying the Empress's suggestion as a jest. Afterward, Shi Feixian confronted Ban Hua, accusing her of deliberately informing the Empress about her past with Prince Luo. Ban Hua vehemently denied the accusation, calling out Shi Feixian for feigning innocence.
She also pointed out that Shi Feixian was responsible for Xie Qilin's blindness and that he deserved better. Ban Hua concluded by asserting that Rong Xia knew her true nature and still loved her, defiantly telling Shi Feixian that she would never lose to her. Later that evening, Rong Xia escorted Ban Hua home.
He apologized, fearing his public displays of affection had caused her trouble, but Ban Hua smiled and held his face, expressing her fondness for his actions and encouraging him to continue. Meanwhile, in Prince Luo’s study, Xie Wanyu discovered a hidden portrait of Shi Feixian. Enraged, she confronted Jiang Luo, who accused her of orchestrating the Empress's attempt to marry Shi Feixian off. Heartbroken, Xie Wanyu expressed deep regret for marrying him and proposed they separate.
Jiang Luo cruelly dismissed her, declaring that she and her entire family were nothing more than his "dogs." Prince Akeqi of Aipo prepared to depart the capital, bidding farewell to Ban Hua. He emotionally conveyed his reluctance to leave and warned Rong Xia to treat Ban Hua well, or he would return with his army. Rong Xia confidently retorted that Aipo's forces couldn't even reach their nation's border.
Accepting this, Akeqi shook Rong Xia's hand, cementing their newfound friendship, and invited Ban Hua to visit Aipo. In a meeting with the Emperor, Rong Xia reported that despite extensive investigation, he had found no leads in the assassination of the Grand Princess, suggesting the well-trained assassins might be connected to a feud from the previous generation. The Emperor angrily ordered him to cease the investigation.
Later, while Ban Hua and Rong Xia were at the archery grounds, they witnessed soldiers abusing hungry refugees. Ban Hua bravely intervened, saving a young boy named Zhao Shunzi and his grandmother. Sadly, the grandmother, weakened by hardship, passed away shortly after, entrusting her grandson to Ban Hua. Believing Ban Hua to be a good person, Zhao Shunzi gave her his protective amulet. Deeply concerned by the plight of the refugees, Ban Hua discussed the widespread famine with Rong Xia.
He explained that despite imperial grants of grain, rampant corruption among officials meant little food reached the suffering populations. Ban Hua proposed that together, with their resources, they could make a difference. Concurrently, Shi Jin, Prime Minister Shi's grandson, expressed concerns to his grandfather about the Qizhou famine tarnishing the family's reputation.
Prime Minister Shi dismissed his worries but secretly ordered his men to find and eliminate the deceased Qizhou Official Zhao's mother and child, fearing they possessed a blood-written letter that could expose his misdeeds. Rong Xia, investigating the suspicious death of the former Qizhou magistrate, suspected the involvement of Prime Minister Shi's faction and resolved to uncover the truth. In the capital, Ban Hua organized a large-scale porridge distribution to aid the refugees.
Ban Heng, surprisingly, showed uncharacteristic frugality, arguing over a mere half tael of silver, emphasizing that every penny was "life-saving money." Meanwhile, Shi Feixian set up a more extravagant relief effort with roasted chickens and zither music, subtly criticizing Ban Hua's simpler setup. Ban Hua confronted Shi Feixian, calling her approach wasteful. The argument was defused by Rong Xia, who acknowledged both women's charitable intentions.
During a court session, Rong Xia formally reported on the man-made disaster in Qizhou, exposing the corruption and missing grain, implicitly pointing towards Prime Minister Shi's cronies. The Prime Minister admitted some responsibility but claimed any money he received was used to buy food for the people. Just then, the Emperor revealed he had received a memorial from Princess Fule (Ban Hua) praising the Shi family's "good deeds" of providing roasted chicken.
Despite Prime Minister Shi's discomfort with a woman's involvement in court affairs, the Emperor publicly commended him and ordered the Shi family to personally fund and distribute free roasted chickens to refugees for an entire month. He then appointed Rong Xia as Minister of Revenue, tasking him with a complete investigation into the Qizhou situation.
