Catch Up My Prince Episode 16 Recap
> Catch Up My Prince Recap
Lu Ranran found herself unjustly imprisoned, accused of harming the Crown Prince Zhao Chenyu at the instigation of Xin'er, orchestrated by the Empress. The game system alerted her to the successful completion of an "imprisonment" event, awarding her a red medicine bottle. She felt deeply wronged, questioning why she was arrested for something she didn't do and why imprisonment was considered an "event." When facing a "physical suffering task" during interrogation, Lu Ranran activated a duplicate given by the game.
While interrogators subjected her to torture with thick nails, she felt no pain, only needing to feign agony to appear injured. An official later announced that the Empress had ordered Lu Ranran to remain in jail for further interrogation. Upon hearing of Lu Ranran's arrest, Yun Zhu became distraught, refusing to believe Lu Ranran could have harmed the Crown Prince. At Yun Zhu's earnest request, Xu Lang agreed to visit Lu Ranran, hoping to calm Yun Zhu down.
Meanwhile, Zhao Chenxuan arrived at the prison, intending to break Lu Ranran out. However, Lu Ranran firmly refused, speaking harsh words to him, telling him to address her as "Your Highness, Eleventh Prince" to remind him that they are not on equal footing and that he would ruin her by helping her.
She knew that if he intervened, his life in the palace would be difficult, and she wished to spare him from her troubles, fearing that he would give it all up for her. She later regretted her sternness. Soon after Zhao Chenxuan's departure, Lu Ranran dreamt that Zhao Chen Yi appeared, saying he couldn't leave her in prison alone, much to her joy.
He wished to take her to Ji Mo City, his mother's hometown, expressing his desire to rescue her from prison regardless of the consequences. As they attempted to flee, they encountered the Emperor, who threatened to execute Zhao Chen Yi for his rebellious act. Lu Ranran then woke up, startled. Lying awake, Lu Ranran hoped the blanket on her bed had been brought by Zhao Chen Yi.
Through her game interface, she observed Zhao Chen Yi visiting Xin'er in the Imperial Prison. Xin'er, presenting a bamboo flute she claimed was a tool for communication between Xu You Zheng's associates, accused Lu Ranran of being a spy planted by Crown Prince Zhao Chenyao, asserting she found it in Lu Ranran's room.
Xin'er professed her unwavering loyalty to Zhao Chen Yi and her long-held affection for him, lamenting that if Lu Ranran had never appeared, she might have been his confidante, saying she was willing to risk her life to expose Lu Ranran, and even die to ensure Lu Ranran suffered for "hurting" Zhao Chen Yi. Although Zhao Chen Yi internally struggled, recalling his genuine feelings for Lu Ranran, Xin'er's "evidence" pushed him to believe Lu Ranran might have been using him.
When Zhao Chen Yi eventually saw Lu Ranran, she tried to reach out to him, but he looked at her with a cold, distant gaze before turning and leaving, shattering Lu Ranran's heart as she thought of their once sweet memories. Separately, Crown Prince Zhao Chenyu, whose health had been precarious, learned of Lu Ranran's imprisonment. Despite a heavy rain, he rushed to the Imperial Prison to plead her case, convinced of her innocence.
Lu Ranran, seeing his weakened state, urged him to leave due to the weather, but he refused, saying he knows what to do. However, the Crown Prince reassured her, promising to secure her release honorably, expressing confidence in his plan. Observing the Crown Prince's determined departure, Xu Lang noted his optimism, leading him to believe Lu Ranran would likely be released the next day.
The following day, the Crown Prince spoke with the Empress Dowager, explaining that Lu Ranran was his "fated person" and essential for his survival. He cited how his health stabilized in her presence and worsened in her absence, concluding she was the only one who could sustain his life. To ensure Lu Ranran's safety and the Crown Prince's well-being, the Empress Dowager issued an edict.
It decreed that Lu Ranran, for her loyalty and service, would be named the Crown Prince's concubine and reside in Always Inviting Palace. Lu Ranran, now Concubine Lu, reluctantly accepted the sudden arrangement. The game system then announced Lu Ranran had earned a "good person fate" achievement, which enabled her to upload a saved file. It also unlocked a "single ending path" mode. While reviewing her relationship scores, she noticed Zhao Chen Yi's heart points were at zero.
Soon after, Xu Lang visited Lu Ranran, subtly advising her to leave the palace, deeming it an unsuitable environment for her. Imperial Physician Sun also came to examine Lu Ranran. Despite her visible injuries, her pulse was stable (a result of using her duplicate). He congratulated her on her new title and praised the Crown Prince's character, particularly his courage in going out in the rain for her. While grateful, Lu Ranran expressed concern about the Crown Prince's ongoing illness.
Imperial Physician Sun then delivered a grave report: the Crown Prince's internal organs were severely damaged by poison, and combined with his exposure to the rain, his condition was now critical and beyond recovery, leaving him hanging by a thread. Shortly thereafter, Lu Ranran arrived at the palace to find a chaotic scene: the Crown Princess was in difficult labor, and the Crown Prince's health had taken a turn for the worse.
Lu Ranran chose to attend to the critically ill Crown Prince. As she arrived, the Crown Prince, struggling for breath, expressed his wish to hear his child's cry. He implored Lu Ranran to promise to care for his wife and unborn child if he did not survive, saying that he had intended for her to take care of them.
Despite Lu Ranran's desperate pleas for him to recover and fulfill his role as a father and husband, the Crown Prince passed away without hearing his child. Lu Ranran was overcome with grief, having always regarded him as an older brother. Soon after, the Crown Princess, upon learning of her husband's death, lost the will to live and passed away during childbirth, resulting in the loss of their unborn child.
The game system announced the conclusion of "Zhao Chen Yu's single ending path" and prompted Lu Ranran if she wished to leave the game. Still reeling from the tragic outcome, Lu Ranran frantically sought a way to avert these deaths. She asked Qin Shou about the Crown Princess's miscarriage, learning it was a "fixed misfortune" in the preset story.
She also discovered that a good luck talisman she had made for the Crown Prince had been ineffective because Zhao Chen Yi had never given it to him. Faced with the irreversible reality of the deaths, Lu Ranran chose not to exit the game, but instead decided to load a previous saved file and restart.
