Court Lady Episode 21 Recap, Plot

> Court Lady
> Court Lady Recap

Fu Rou picked one of the paintings Prince Zhou had drawn of her. Prince Zhou complimented her taste but grew alarmed upon hearing that she intended to take the painting to Prince Liang on behalf of Division Chief Xue. He quickly hid all other portraits of Fu Rou, sternly reminding her that Prince Liang was a lecher.

Submitting her own image to him would be like a lamb entering a tiger's mouth, and if Prince Liang developed an interest in her, even ten Sheng Chumu would not be able to save her. Fu Rou, realizing the danger, thanked him for the warning, explaining that she had been too focused on her task for the Directorate of Attendant Services. Prince Zhou then had her grind ink while he painted a new portrait, a depiction of Lu Yingying.

However, Fu Rou refused to submit Lu Yingying's portrait, stating that while she held a grudge against Lu Yunj, she had no personal vendetta against Lu Yingying and would not intentionally harm her. She further explained to Prince Zhou that though he found her stubbornness unwise, she believed that if there were more persistent people and fewer clever ones in the world, unfairness would not occur.

Frustrated by Fu Rou's stubbornness, Prince Zhou eventually agreed to draw an imaginary beauty instead, asking if she was satisfied that no one would be endangered this time. Fu Rou thanked him, and Prince Zhou remarked that the world was shining bright as long as she was there. Meanwhile, Prince Liang was in a foul mood after the Crown Prince rejected his invitation to socialize, choosing to visit Prince Han instead and being accompanied by Sheng Chumu.

Lu Qi seized the opportunity to sow discord, suggesting that Sheng Chumu was deliberately provoking Prince Liang and the Crown Prince. He painted Sheng Chumu as insidious and cunning, reminding Prince Liang of past grievances and how Sheng Chumu’s sister was Princess Consort Han, implying Sheng Chumu would speak ill of Prince Liang to the Crown Prince.

While others cautioned Prince Liang against directly confronting Sheng Chumu due to his growing imperial favor, and the support of Duke Lu and Prince Han, Lu Qi proposed a more subtle approach. He revealed that Sheng Chumu cherished a beauty named Fu Rou, described as a "stunning beauty" now in the palace. Lu Qi claimed that if Prince Liang could get ahold of her, it would hurt Sheng Chumu far more than death.

Intrigued, Prince Liang decided he must meet her. At the Lu manor, Linglong noticed a bracelet on Fu Yin's wrist and accused her of stealing it, attempting to snatch it. Lu Qi intervened, and after calling Steward Wu, it was confirmed that the bracelet was Fu Yin's, a family heirloom from her mother, which she valued even more than selling herself.

Annoyed by Linglong's constant bickering and jealousy, Lu Qi dismissed her and ordered Fu Yin to grind ink for him. Lu Yingying arrived and found Fu Yin much more pleasing than Linglong, remarking that Linglong always made her uncomfortable, though she acknowledged Fu Yin was her brother's maid to manage. After Lu Yingying left, Lu Qi drew an old tree. Fu Yin, recalling Du Ning's painting lessons, offered insightful critiques on his technique, explaining how to portray the tree's vigor.

Lu Qi, noticing her lost in thought, attempted to make advances on her. Fu Yin resisted and fled to her room. Shortly after, Lu Hanxing entered Fu Yin's room, claiming he needed clothes mended. Fu Yin, remembering overhearing Lu Hanxing confess to Linglong about setting the Fu family's fire, impulsively grabbed scissors, intending to kill him. However, Linglong returned and sent Fu Yin out to buy face powder, forcing her to hide the scissors.

Distraught by Fu Yin's disappearance, Du Ning wandered the streets, drinking and carrying her portrait, asking if anyone had seen her. Sheng Chuling found Du Ning and tried to comfort him, promising to help find Fu Yin, but Du Ning, feeling abandoned, believed Fu Yin had left because she didn't want to marry him. Fu Yin, while buying pork jerky on the street, saw Du Ning holding her portrait and desperately searching for her.

Her heart ached, but she knew she couldn't meet him. Sheng Chuling later informed Fu Rou that Fu Yin was missing, causing Fu Rou worry. As Fu Rou walked through the palace, she bumped into a palace maid who dropped a small packet. Fu Rou tried to return it, but the maid, visibly frightened, fled. Imperial guards quickly apprehended the maid, and the packet was found to contain arsenic. The maid was taken to the Empress for questioning.

She tearfully explained that the storeroom had a severe rat infestation, and after repeated beatings for accidental breakages and failed attempts at trapping, she had resorted to using arsenic, brought in by Attendant Yang Hou from the Directorate of Eunuchs, as her family had done when she was a child. Fu Rou spoke up in the maid's defense, confirming the rat problem. However, the Empress, while believing the maid's intentions were not malicious, declared that poison was a palace taboo.

She sentenced the maid, Li Chun'er from Jiangling, to death but granted her a complete body. She then ordered Attendant Yang Hou to be flogged to death in front of all Directorate of Eunuchs staff as a severe warning. Fu Rou was shocked, questioning why the Empress would condemn someone whose actions were unintentional.

The Empress expressed her regret over the past death of Court Lady Situ, whom she had also punished in anger, reflecting on the impossibility of finding another official so dedicated to palace rules. She explained to the Emperor that rules were paramount in the unpredictable and treacherous palace, especially given past tragedies involving poison, and she would bear the name of being cruel if it meant preventing future incidents. She then awarded Fu Rou a poetry collection for her loyalty.

Outside, the eunuch Cao Neishi, overseeing Yang Hou's flogging, declared that in the palace, the lives of common staff were considered less valuable than rats. Yang Bai, a close friend of Yang Hou, later grieved over his death and questioned Fu Rou if their lives were truly not even as good as rats. Troubled, Fu Rou later sought out Bureau Chief Wu, who reiterated that for the Bureau of Imperial Etiquette, rules were indeed more important than human lives.

That night, Fu Rou secretly went to the river to release a lotus lantern in memory of the executed palace maid. Prince Zhou found her there, sharing details about Li Chun'er's background and offering comfort, observing that life was full of unpredictable turns. Back at the Lu manor, Lu Qi discovered Du Ning's portrait in Fu Yin's room, mistakenly believing it was a drawing of himself and that Fu Yin secretly admired him.

Seeing her tear-stained eyes, he wrongly assumed Linglong had bullied her again. He angrily reprimanded Linglong, reminding her she was merely a "bedroom maid" and not to overstep her bounds, threatening severe consequences if she bullied Fu Yin again. He then summoned Fu Yin to his study, instructing her to paint the old tree she had previously critiqued, promising a reward if well done or punishment if not. Linglong watched, consumed by jealousy.

As Fu Yin painted, Lu Qi received a letter from Hong Yide, which made him furious, and he abruptly dismissed Fu Yin. Consumed by jealousy, Linglong plotted with Lu Hanxing. She told him that Lu Yunj and Lu Qi were arranging his marriage to the ugly daughter of Vice Minister Zhao for a family alliance. She suggested a scheme: if Lu Hanxing sexually assaulted Fu Yin, he could claim she seduced him.

This would ruin Fu Yin's reputation, cause Lu Qi to lose interest, and perhaps even lead Lu Qi to give Fu Yin to Lu Hanxing. Linglong also confided that she needed to get rid of Fu Yin to maintain her own position in Lu Qi's good graces, so she could continue to spy on him and steal his documents for Lu Hanxing.

Lu Hanxing, who had long desired Fu Yin and was angry about his impending marriage, agreed to the plan to eliminate his "thorn in the eye." Meanwhile, Lu Yunj and Lu Qi discussed the contents of Hong Yide's letter. Lu Yunj revealed that he had previously spared Hong Yide, a rebel, in exchange for his wealth, which was subsequently stolen by Yan Zifang's pirates.

Now that Hong Yide had resurfaced in Guangzhou, Lu Yunj feared the Emperor would discover his secret deal. He ordered Lu Qi to send word to Guangzhou to seal the city under the pretense of finding "pirate remnants," search for Hong Yide, kill him on sight, and burn his body to hide their secret. Later that night, Linglong feigned a terrible stomachache and sent Fu Yin to Steward Wu to fetch medicine. As Fu Yin made her way there, Lu Hanxing ambushed her, grabbing her and taking her to his room, intending to carry out their wicked plan.

Episode 20 Recap

Episode 22 Recap