A Girl Like Me Episode 23 Recap
> A Girl Like Me Recap
Prince Luo presented his written repentance to His Majesty and the Empress. He admitted to maliciously ordering an attack on Duke Jingting and framing Shi Feixian, which resulted in Duke Jingting's suffering and Shi Feixian's undeserved exile. Prince Luo called himself deceitful and expressed sincere remorse, asking for severe punishment. His Majesty, however, noticed a missing stroke in the character "Luo" in his signature, hinting at his continued defiance, though Prince Luo quickly denied it.
The Empress interceded, attributing Prince Luo's behavior to her own indulgence and his frail health since childhood, urging His Majesty to trust him. His Majesty, feeling his age, stated his biggest wish was for Prince Luo to reconcile with his older brother and assist him in governing Daye after his own passing. He then ordered a royal banquet for the following day, inviting the Ban family so Prince Luo could offer a sincere apology.
Prince Luo, emboldened, then requested that Shi Feixian be allowed to return. His Majesty, infuriated, ordered him to leave, but Prince Luo persisted, promising complete obedience and even offering to assist the Crown Prince if Feixian could return. His Majesty, however, only repeated his command for Prince Luo to "get out." Meanwhile, Shi Feixian, having miraculously survived her fall from the cliff, was found unconscious but stable by Akeqi. A physician confirmed she was out of danger.
Akeqi arranged for a local woman to care for her, promising monthly payments. He also learned that while most of the robbers who attacked her had been captured, one had escaped. Akeqi ordered his men to find the missing robber immediately and assigned two guards to protect Shi Feixian. The Empress advised Prince Luo to control his temper, warning that his continued defiance could lead to his own expulsion from the capital, rather than Ban Hua's.
Prince Luo, frustrated, even questioned if he was His Majesty's biological son, a notion the Empress quickly dismissed as absurd. At the royal banquet, Duke Jingting and Princess Ban arrived. Ban Hua remarked humorously on the lack of a grand welcome. Inside, Ban Hua enjoyed the food, even thinking of bringing a drumstick to Shunzi. His Majesty encouraged an informal atmosphere, deeming it a family feast. He then prompted Prince Luo to speak with Duke Jingting.
Prince Luo reluctantly offered a toast, vaguely apologizing for "what happened days ago." Ban Hua, feigning ignorance, pressed for details, asking what exactly happened and what her father should forgive. Prince Luo, annoyed, told her to shut up, but Ban Hua countered that His Majesty had encouraged informality, thus justifying her questions. His Majesty intervened, remarking on the two's childhood habit of squabbling and their continued childishness even as adults.
Ban Hua then stated she could get along with Prince Luo if he would just grow up and stop being childish. His Majesty instructed Prince Luo to pour wine for Ban Hua, reminding him of their "rules." Prince Luo complied, and Ban Hua playfully commented that it was the first time he had ever served her. The Crown Prince expressed satisfaction at their reconciliation, wishing them continued harmony.
His Majesty dismissed their past quarrels as minor, expressing his gratitude to the Ban family for their substantial donations that helped alleviate the recent famine. He raised his tea cup, thanking them on behalf of the disaster victims. After leaving the palace, Ban Hua gleefully recounted Prince Luo's sullen face to Rong Xia, admitting how much she enjoyed his discomfort. Rong Xia praised her cleverness, noting how her actions effectively punished the culprit without being overly provocative.
Ban Hua, encouraged, suggested another scheme if Prince Luo were to cause further trouble. Rong Xia, having played his part, asked how she would thank him. Ban Hua playfully suggested walking him home was thanks enough, but Rong Xia desired more. Ban Hua teased him for his "tricks," reminding him he was a gentleman. Rong Xia, amused, claimed he had simply picked up some of her characteristics by being around her daily.
He then praised her intelligence for outwitting Prince Luo so thoroughly. Ban Hua, flattered, admitted that with Rong Xia's strategic mind, she would never uncover his deceptions if he ever chose to mislead her. Rong Xia earnestly promised he would never deceive her, swearing his heart was completely sincere towards her. Their conversation was then interrupted by Du Jiu, who delivered a letter from Akeqi confirming that Shi Feixian had been safely settled.
Shi Chonghai recalled that His Majesty had met with him on the eve of Shi Feixian's confession, hinting that the Shi family should take responsibility for Prince Luo's actions concerning the Qizhou incident, in exchange for the matter not being further investigated. Despite this, Shi Chonghai remained anxious about the "letter written in blood" and ordered his subordinate to take action to retrieve it to secure his position.
Meanwhile, Xie Chongjin informed Prince Luo that Shi Feixian had encountered robbers during her exile. Prince Luo was furious, accusing Xie Chongjin of attempting to kill Shi Feixian despite knowing his deep affection for her. He threatened Xie Chongjin's life, believing Xie Chongjin was trying to eliminate Shi Feixian to secure his own sister's position as Empress. Xie Chongjin, however, calmly explained that his actions were for Prince Luo's own benefit.
He argued that Prince Luo would inevitably contend with the Crown Prince, and weakening the Crown Prince's faction would affect the Shi family. By ensuring Shi Feixian was separated from her family, Prince Luo would not be constrained by familial ties, preventing him from being caught in a dilemma. Xie Chongjin requested a chance to prove his loyalty.
Prince Luo reluctantly granted him one more chance, reiterating that all his previous commitments would remain valid if Xie Chongjin brought Shi Feixian back unharmed. If she was injured in any way, he vowed to take Xie Chongjin's life. Later, a love letter from Rong Xia arrived for Ban Hua, drawing teasing remarks from her father and brother, who tried to peek at its contents.
During a card game, Ban Hua insisted on reading it, prompting her father to bet the letter if she won the round. Shunzi, however, saved the day by interpreting the classical poem for her. He explained the first lines, describing creeping grass and sparkling dewdrops, as referring to Ban Hua's beauty.
He clarified that the final lines, "We met together accidentally; And he and I were happy together," were not about running away, as Ban Heng misinterpreted, but about Rong Xia wanting to spend his life with her. Ban Hua was delighted, albeit amused by the complexity of a scholar's love confession. She then went to find Rong Xia, who was flying a kite.
Rong Xia confessed he had tried to make the kite himself, but it proved more difficult than he imagined. Shunzi, inspired, wrote a message on the kite, believing his deceased family could hear him if it flew high enough. Ban Hua told Shunzi the old saying that those who fly kites together are forever bound by the kite string. Simultaneously, Shi Chonghai's subordinate reported that the "letter written in blood" had not been found among Shunzi's belongings.
Shi Chonghai became increasingly agitated, viewing Shunzi as a major threat. He ordered Shunzi's discreet elimination to prevent any complications, emphasizing the need for a clean, untraceable kill. Meanwhile, Rong Xia met Xie Chongjin at Fude House, where he learned that his late butler's death was linked to Assistant Wu, a key aide in the Shi family. Rong Xia realized this could be connected to his own parents' deaths.
Ban Hua, understanding his distress, assured him not to worry about her, claiming she was the most resilient person in Daye, and urged him to prioritize his own safety while pursuing the truth. Xie Chongjin observed that Rong Xia, despite knowing the Shi family's involvement in his butler's death, had not yet made a move. To provoke action, Xie Chongjin devised a new plan.
He ordered his people to spread false information to Shi Chonghai, suggesting that Shunzi, though currently in the Ban family's protective custody, was scheduled to enter the palace soon. Xie Chongjin reasoned that if Shunzi died, Ban Hua would undoubtedly seek revenge on the Shi family, allowing him to benefit from their conflict. He framed this as merely "passing accurate information" to the appropriate parties.
Xie Chongjin instructed his men to find a way to lure Shunzi out of the Ban family mansion, suggesting using a kite to draw him out of the garden where he often played. Shi Chonghai, upon receiving this alarming news about Shunzi's impending palace visit, panicked and immediately ordered his men to kill Shunzi. Later, as the family called for him for lunch, Shunzi chased his kite which had flown out of the mansion.
Ban Hua and Ban Heng searched for him, only to find Shunzi's lifeless body. Ban Hua wept inconsolably, vowing that Shi Chonghai would pay with his life. In court, Rong Xia directly accused Shi Chonghai, stating that his negligence and corruption led to the famine in Qizhou. Shi Chonghai vehemently denied the accusations, claiming Official Zhao's death was a natural disaster and not his doing. His Majesty revealed that he had given Shi Chonghai a final chance.
Rong Xia then presented irrefutable evidence: he exposed Shi Chonghai for siphoning off relief grain, selling official positions, forcing Official Zhao and his family to their deaths to make way for a new appointee, and attempting to cover up his crimes with a fire. He further revealed that Shi Chonghai, fearing the "letter written in blood" that Official Zhao had penned, had created a charity house as a front to lure Shunzi into a trap.
When that plan failed due to Shunzi's close ties with the Ban family, Shi Chonghai resorted to killing the child. His Majesty, deeply disappointed, questioned Shi Chonghai's actions as a senior official who had served three emperors and was also his in-law. Shi Chonghai, finally cornered, confessed his guilt, begging His Majesty to spare his innocent grandchildren. His Majesty, however, condemned Shi Chonghai's increasing ruthlessness despite years of leniency.
He decreed the execution of the corrupt Qizhou official and Assistant Wu, removed Shi Chonghai from all his official posts, and ordered his immediate imprisonment. With the Shi family's downfall, Prince Luo was overjoyed. Xie Chongjin informed him that Shi Feixian had survived her fall and was rescued by Akeqi, now residing with a farmer in Guxian County. Prince Luo was ecstatic, eager to go retrieve her and surprise her.
Unbeknownst to Prince Luo, Xie Chongjin had a deeper scheme: he intended for Shi Feixian to die after her location was revealed. Meanwhile, Shi Jin visited Shunzi's tomb to pay his respects. Ban Hua confronted him, her voice filled with pain, stating that Shunzi's parents' deaths, his grandmother's starvation, and Shunzi's own demise were all due to the Shi family. She ordered Shi Jin to leave, saying Shunzi did not need his feigned sympathy.
Shi Jin remained silent, acknowledging the truth in Ban Hua's words. Later, Ban Hua brought steamed chicken to Shunzi's tomb, expressing her deep regret for failing to protect him. Rong Xia gently took her hand, vowing that such a tragedy would never happen again.
