Court Lady Episode 17 Recap, Plot

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Sheng Chumu and Lu Qi were brought before the Emperor for their public brawl at the city gate. The Emperor chastised them both, reminding them of their general ranks. Lu Qi accused Sheng Chumu of humiliating his younger sister, Lu Yingying, by calling her "bad luck" because her fiancé, Duke Chang's son, had fallen ill. The Emperor, after offering medicine for Duke Chang's son and asking Lu Qi to comfort Duke Chang, dismissed him.

He then told Sheng Chumu to put aside his grievances with Duke Cai, Lu Yunji, for the Emperor's sake, promising to reward him later. Sheng Chumu seized the opportunity to request a wife, but before he could specify his beloved, the Emperor mistakenly assumed he desired Princess Xin Nan and agreed to consider the match. Sheng Chumu tried to explain, but the arrival of the Crown Prince prevented him from doing so, and he respectfully withdrew.

The Crown Prince reported on the Grand Imperial Sire's health to the Emperor. The Emperor, guessing that the Grand Imperial Sire had recounted past events, reprimanded the Crown Prince for his wavering resolve, saying that despite being his eldest son, he lacked a strong and confident heart and was too easily swayed by words. Feeling dejected, the Crown Prince was then summoned by the Empress, who further chastised him about Chen Ji.

Filled with pent-up rage, he returned to the East Palace and violently slapped Sun Lingshu, knocking her to the ground before leaving. Princess Xin Nan then appeared, having been discreetly watching Sheng Chuling in the East Palace under the pretext of visiting the Crown Princess Consort. Seeing the Crown Prince, she tried to ask him to transfer Sheng Chuling to her service. Still fuming, the Crown Prince angrily rebuked her, telling her to obey the rules.

After the Crown Prince left, Sheng Chuling, who was on patrol, found Princess Xin Nan crying. Learning that the Crown Prince refused to transfer him, Sheng Chuling decided to ask his father, Sheng Xiaojing, to propose marriage to the Emperor. At home, Sheng Chuling confessed his desire to marry Princess Xin Nan. Sheng Xiaojing explained that as the Emperor's beloved daughter, Princess Xin Nan could only marry the Duke of Lu, a title reserved for Sheng Chumu in the future.

After a heated argument between Sheng Chuling, who wanted Princess Xin Nan, and Sheng Chumu, who only wanted Fu Rou, Sheng Xiaojing agreed to sound out the Emperor's intentions the next day. However, the Emperor misunderstood Sheng Xiaojing's request, believing it was for Sheng Chumu, and readily agreed. When Sheng Xiaojing clarified that he was proposing for his second son, Sheng Chuling, the Emperor grew angry.

He deemed Sheng Chuling, a mere palace guard, unworthy of a princess and interpreted the request as insubordination. Sheng Xiaojing had no choice but to accept the imperial decree, stating that the marriage between Princess Xin Nan and Sheng Chumu would be officially announced after Princess Xin Nan's birthday. Zhen Zhu quickly informed Princess Xin Nan of the news, leaving both Princess Xin Nan and Sheng Chuling heartbroken and angry, respectively.

Princess Xin Nan then pleaded with the Empress, but the Empress also refused to help her, further scolding her for daring to love someone else. The Empress, regretting her severe punishment, learned from her attendant that Court Lady Situ, already frail and now flogged, was unlikely to survive. She ordered the best imperial physicians to treat her. The Crown Prince visited the dying Court Lady Situ, who, with her last breath, asked if the Empress had punished him.

He reassured her and promised to chastise the Crown Princess Consort, but Court Lady Situ, thinking of the unborn child, urged him not to. She expressed her lifelong gratitude for serving him and fondly recalled his infancy. Her final request was to touch his face one last time, a wish he granted before she passed away in front of him.

Later, Fu Rou was informed by Shu'er of Court Lady Situ's death and also the Emperor's decree to marry Princess Xin Nan to Sheng Chumu, leaving her distraught. The Crown Princess Consort came to the Crown Prince, pleading for forgiveness, citing her fear of the Empress and their unborn child. The Crown Prince softened until she offered him a bowl of bird's nest soup.

The sight of it reminded him of Court Lady Situ's last act of kindness, reigniting his grief and anger, and he refused the soup. Sun Lingwei visited her elder sister, Sun Lingshu, at the East Palace and found her looking distressed.

Sun Lingshu's attendant, Shuangxi, revealed that the Crown Princess Consort was suffering greatly, but Sun Lingshu herself, feeling trapped in the palace, confessed her woes to Sun Lingwei, expressing regret about her marriage and hoping for some solace after her child's birth. She urged Sun Lingwei to keep her troubles secret from their parents. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince, still in a foul mood, sought out Chen Ji.

Chen Ji, having decided to leave Chang'an and become a wandering swordsman to contribute to the future emperor's reign, addressed the Crown Prince formally, emphasizing their social boundaries. The Crown Prince respected his decision, taught him a few more sword moves, and gave him a fan as a parting gift, saying it would be like seeing him whenever Chen Ji looked at it.

Chen Ji, deeply touched, promised to treasure it and offered one last performance of Zhao Zilong for the Crown Prince. Yan Zifang, having accepted the imperial amnesty and eradicated the pirates, entered the capital for an audience with the Emperor. On the street, he encountered Lu Yingying and asked if she still kept the pearl he had given her. Upon learning she did, his expression changed, and he told her to discard it, declaring Lu Yunji his enemy.

During the court session, Yan Zifang, now granted the title of General Zhenhai for his merits, including his innovative shipbuilding suggestions, confessed his true identity to the Emperor. He explained that after his family was wiped out and he was severely injured, he was rescued by the Four Seas Gang leader and became a pirate, adopting the alias Fang Ziyan. He requested permission to revert to his birth name, Yan Zifang, to honor his deceased parents, which the Emperor granted.

Sheng Chumu then realized Yan Zifang's true identity, while Lu Yunji and Lu Qi suspected Sheng Chumu had known all along and was conspiring against them. Meanwhile, at the Lu manor, Lu Yunji and Lu Qi discussed how Lu Yingying's marriage to Duke Chang's son would solidify their alliance with the Crown Prince, especially now that Duke Chang's son was recovering thanks to the Emperor's medicine.

When Fu Rou later visited Prince Zhou, he gleefully informed her of the impending marriage between Princess Xin Nan and Sheng Chumu, causing Fu Rou deep sadness, though she affirmed her faith in Sheng Chumu. Prince Zhou then presented her with exotic ship designs, explaining they were from Yan Zifang.

This revelation, coupled with the details of Yan Zifang's past, stunned Fu Rou, who realized that the leader of the Four Seas Gang was none other than her childhood friend, Yan Zifang. Sheng Chuling and Princess Xin Nan secretly met that night, discussing their shared desire to avoid the arranged marriage. Princess Xin Nan expressed fears of the Emperor's wrath if they rejected the marriage outright.

The next day, Sheng Chumu, to reject the marriage, lied to the Emperor, claiming he was impotent and incapable of fulfilling marital duties. Sheng Xiaojing, acting for the family's sake, reluctantly corroborated the story. The Emperor, concerned for Princess Xin Nan's happiness, agreed to drop the marriage proposal. However, Lu Yunji, feigning concern, insisted that an imperial physician examine Sheng Chumu to verify his condition. Despite Sheng Chumu and Sheng Xiaojing's protests, the Emperor, suspecting deceit, ordered the examination.

Thankfully, Sheng Chumu was prepared; Yan Zifang had provided him with a secret medicine from Persia that imperial physicians would not recognize, allowing him to pass the inspection successfully. This pleased Sheng Xiaojing but angered Lu Yunji, who even insulted Sheng Chumu by comparing him to a palace eunuch. After the ordeal, Yan Zifang confronted Sheng Chumu, who praised the effectiveness of the medicine.

Yan Zifang then pressed Sheng Chumu to repay the favor, hinting at his long-held secret of being Fu Rou's childhood fiancé, a suggestion Sheng Chumu quickly dismissed, asserting Fu Rou was his.

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