Court Lady Episode 33 Recap, Plot

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Prince Zhou suggested to the Emperor that Prime Minister Fang, with his extensive experience, would be more suitable to oversee the complicated Dacang Mountain case, despite the Emperor's initial trust in Prince Zhou. The Emperor agreed and tasked Prime Minister Fang with the case. Shortly after, the Crown Prince's Consort, Sun Lingshu, knelt before the Emperor with the imperial grandson, imploring him to forgive the Crown Prince.

Angered by this display, the Emperor ordered his attendant, Cao Yangdi, to remove them. The Empress then appeared in formal attire to also plead for the Crown Prince. The Emperor expressed his frustration, noting that both Zhan Xuanzhi and now the Empress were intervening, making it seem as if the Crown Prince represented "Great Tang" while he, the Emperor, was sidelined.

He reminded the Empress that he had jailed the Crown Prince not just for his recklessness but to uncover the truth and clear his name. He declared that if the Crown Prince were indeed guilty of Hong Yide's death, he would face severe punishment.

When the Empress questioned how the case would be resolved if the truth remained elusive, the Emperor reflected on his long-standing disappointment with the Crown Prince, who, despite his careful upbringing and the counsel of figures like Zhan Xuanzhi, continued to fail him. The Empress gently suggested that children sometimes disappoint their parents, but the Emperor, feeling deeply disheartened, walked away, leaving the Empress to collapse in despair, prompting Fu Rou's concern.

Later that night, the Empress, unable to sleep, was seen by Fu Rou reading "The Book of Sui," recounting how a previous emperor's decision to depose his eldest son led to the downfall of his dynasty. She worried that the current Crown Prince might face a similar tragic fate of being framed, deposed, and killed. Fu Rou, seeing the Empress's deep anxiety, subtly suggested that perhaps there was still someone who could persuade the Emperor.

Meanwhile, Sun Lingwei visited Sheng Chujun, asking for another Sheng family safety knot. She explained that she needed to make an urgent wish and feared the previous charm's power might not be sufficient. Sheng Chujun initially pretended the charms were precious and difficult to acquire, but eventually agreed to procure another one for her.

Earlier, Yan Zifang met with Fu Shui, where Yan Zifang realized that Fu Shui's true intention in handing over Hong Yide was to target the Crown Prince, not merely Lu Yunj. Fu Shui did not deny this, confirming his animosity towards the Crown Prince and labeling both himself and Yan Zifang as "desperate" individuals. Yan Zifang, seeing the personal gain, accepted this "friendship."

Later, in Liang Yi Hall, Prime Minister Fang reported to the Emperor that Hong Yide indeed died of poison, but the Crown Prince maintained his ignorance about how it occurred. Frustrated, the Emperor decided to personally interrogate the Crown Prince, who, facing his father, insisted on his innocence, asserting that with no other witnesses, his vindication depended entirely on the Emperor's trust.

The Emperor then summoned Yan Zifang, who revealed Hong Yide's confession: Lu Yunj had accepted bribes from him in the past and Lu Yunj's nephew, Lu Hanxing, had leaked the Empress's travel route to Hong Yide, though Lu Hanxing himself had recently died under suspicious circumstances. Despite this, the Crown Prince continued to defend Lu Yunj, arguing against condemning an entire family based solely on Yan Zifang's testimony to prevent a miscarriage of justice that could tarnish the Emperor's reputation.

This further enraged the Emperor. Yan Zifang then reluctantly disclosed another part of Hong Yide's confession: among the bribes Lu Yunj received, a green jade dragon pendant from the Warring States period had been given to the Crown Prince and was currently in his study. The Crown Prince immediately dismissed this as a malicious frame-up. The Emperor, ignoring his son's protests, ordered Cao Yangdi to search the Crown Prince's library.

The jade pendant was indeed found, leading the Emperor to furiously accuse the Crown Prince of murdering Hong Yide to silence him. The Crown Prince admitted receiving a jade pendant from Lu Yunj but was cut off as the Emperor prepared to pronounce judgment. At that critical moment, Fu Rou rushed in to report that the Grand Imperial Sire's health had taken a turn for the worse, and he urgently summoned the Emperor.

The Emperor hastened to the Grand Imperial Sire's bedside. The Grand Imperial Sire dismissed everyone except the Emperor and Empress, then admonished his son. He implored the Emperor to trust and protect the Crown Prince, reminding him that the Crown Prince was the very foundation of the empire and any suspicion would invite coveting forces to destroy him. Bound by filial duty, the Emperor promised to trust and protect his son.

Prince Liang then arrived in a panic, attempting to administer an elixir pill from Daoist Master Yuan, which he had forcefully taken from Fu Rou, to the Grand Imperial Sire. However, the Grand Imperial Sire, knowing his end was near, refused the medicine, considering it a waste. He encouraged Prince Liang to marry the high-ranking, beautiful lady he had "fallen for" and then, with his last breaths, entrusted Prince Liang to the Empress's care before passing away.

At the Grand Imperial Sire's memorial, the Emperor, honoring his dying promise, released the Crown Prince. He then decreed that the Dacang Mountain case was to be sealed and never spoken of again, attributing Hong Yide's accusations against the Crown Prince as malicious and untrustworthy. Consequently, Lu Yunj and his son were released. Yan Zifang, however, was fined half a year's salary and privately reprimanded, with the Emperor instructing him to think more carefully before speaking in the future.

Back at their manor, Lu Yunj and Lu Qi celebrated their release, crediting the Grand Imperial Sire's dying words for their freedom. However, their joy was short-lived when Lu Yingying announced her intent to marry Prince Liang as a concubine, claiming she had "fallen in love at first sight" and believed he would protect her, just as he had shown care during their imprisonment. Lu Qi, aghast, denounced this as self-deception and vehemently opposed the marriage, which Lu Yunj echoed.

Lu Yunj then sought an audience with the Emperor to break off the engagement, falsely attributing Lu Yingying's promise to Prince Liang to her youthful ignorance and claiming he had not given his consent. The Emperor, however, dismissed his pleas, reaffirming the match and ordering Lu Yunj to send Lu Yingying to Prince Liang's Manor once the national mourning period concluded.

Desperate, Lu Qi knelt before the Emperor, courageously exposing Prince Liang's notorious cruelty towards women and declaring him an unsuitable husband for his only sister, even at the cost of his own life. Enraged by Lu Qi's defiance, the Emperor immediately ordered him to be beaten until death. To save his son and daughter, Lu Yunj offered to surrender all his family's wealth to the imperial treasury and resign from all his official posts.

The Emperor gave him a stark ultimatum: either willingly become Prince Liang's father-in-law or face the execution of all men in the Duke of Cai's household and the women forced into servitude as official courtesans. Remembering Lu Yunj's long service, the Emperor later had the Empress intercede.

The Empress convinced Prince Liang to elevate Lu Yingying's status from concubine to Princess Consort, a proposal Prince Liang readily accepted, stating it would honor the Grand Imperial Sire's last wish for him to marry and start a family. The Emperor, satisfied with this compromise, felt that Lu Yunj would not suffer too much since his daughter was now marrying into a higher position.

Meanwhile, Sheng Chuling, under the name Sheng Chumu, reported for duty at a border pass, accompanied by his attendant. General Gu, upon seeing his transfer order, initially assumed he was another idle nobleman seeking an easy post. However, Sheng Chuling surprised him by stating two conditions: he desired a station that was genuinely challenging and harsh, as he hadn't come for an easy life, and, crucially, he demanded to be assigned to active combat.

His resolve to sever ties with his past life and temper his spirit at the frontier deeply saddened Fu Rou, who heard of his intentions, though Sheng Chuling himself gave her no glance, still mistakenly believing she had intentionally hurt him. The Emperor, impressed by Sheng Chuling's unexpected request, granted his wish. Separately, Sun Lingwei gratefully presented Sheng Chujun with a handmade embroidered pouch, thanking him for the safety knot.

She expressed her relief that her older sister, the Empress, and brother-in-law, the Crown Prince, were now safe, attributing their well-being to the charm's efficacy and feeling a closer bond with Sheng Chujun. With the national mourning concluded, Lu Yunj instructed Lu Qi to proceed with preparations for Lu Yingying's wedding. Meanwhile, at Xiong Rui's grave, a woman mourned his death, lamenting that he had been unjustly implicated and killed due to the Crown Prince's misdeeds.

Fu Shui, emerging from the shadows, echoed her sentiments, calling Xiong Rui a "lowly commoner," insignificant to the nobility, and urging her to seek revenge. Elsewhere, Prince Zhou noticed the numerous needle pricks on Fu Rou's fingers, signs of her diligent but distracted sewing. He compassionately remarked on her apparent emotional turmoil, hinting at shredded sewing projects found in the waste, and offered to take her out of the palace for a day, but she politely declined.

Prince Zhou then proceeded to welcome Qian Wenjing back to Chang'an, a gesture that somewhat surprised Qian Wenjing. At the East Palace, the Crown Prince hosted a celebratory banquet with Prince Liang. Prince Liang began by apologizing for his earlier "talkativeness" that contributed to the Crown Prince's imprisonment, vowing to drink three cups as self-punishment. The Crown Prince graciously accepted his apology, emphasizing that the real culprit was Hong Yide's malice.

The Crown Prince's Consort reminded him of the lessons learned from adversity. The Crown Prince reflected on the precarious nature of his position. Prince Liang then playfully teased the Crown Prince and his consort for their public affection, feigning jealousy over his own lack of a Princess Consort. During the banquet, Jisun Chenxin, who had been transferred to serve Lord Zhao, arrived to pay his respects.

He presented gifts from Lord Zhao and expressed his desire to return to the Crown Prince's service, though the Crown Prince advised him to remain with Lord Zhao for a longer period to secure future promotion. When asked about Qian Wenjing, Chenxin reported that Qian Wenjing had been deliberately antagonistic towards Lord Zhao in Zhaozhou, constantly thwarting his hunting activities and even releasing his favorite falcon.

Chenxin speculated that Qian Wenjing's actions were a ploy to provoke Lord Zhao into requesting his transfer back to Chang'an, allowing him to rejoin Prince Zhou. Prince Liang chimed in, comparing Qian Wenjing and Zhan Xuanzhi to self-righteous "saints" who lectured royals for their own political gain. Concurrently, Qian Wenjing was confiding in Prince Zhou about Lord Zhao's excessive hunting for personal enjoyment, which he claimed caused immense suffering to the common people.

He intended to report this to the Emperor, but Prince Zhou, fearing Lord Zhao's potential wrath, advised against it, promising instead to request the Emperor to keep Qian Wenjing by his side in Chang'an. Meanwhile, Zhang He was causing a disturbance in the marketplace, consuming a roast lamb leg from an old vendor without payment and then ordering his subordinates to brutally beat the old man when he demanded his money. Yan Zifang, on his patrol, witnessed the scene.

Recalling his past animosity with Zhang He, he promptly ordered Zhang He's arrest. As he was being led away, Zhang He brazenly instructed his men to inform his father and Princess Si Ling's Fu'ma about his missed afternoon drinking appointment. The Fu'ma was about to rush out to help Zhang He, but Princess Si Ling called him to admire some new hairpins.

He saw Ma Hainiu and Lian Yan'er, who had, with Princess Consort Han's recommendation, become the most prominent female merchants in Chang'an and were now favored by Princess Si Ling. The Fu'ma, clearly uncomfortable, quickly offered some compliments and tried to excuse himself. However, Ma Hainiu casually mentioned that Lian Yan'er had honed her remarkable makeup skills at the Yanhui Pavilion, a revelation that visibly startled the Fu'ma, who recognized it as a renowned brothel.

Episode 32 Recap

Episode 34 Recap