Different Princess Episode 16 Recap
> Different Princess Recap
Hua Qingge was led into the camp, where she witnessed a soldier kill a working servant. The camp's supervisor, Manager Wang, then tested Hua Qingge, holding a knife to her eyes to see if she was truly blind. Hua Qingge remained still, convincing him, and Manager Wang remarked that it was good she couldn't see, as she would live a long life and fit right in. He instructed that she be given clean clothes and assigned as a personal attendant.
Internally, Hua Qingge longed for Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao to rescue her, finding the place terrifying. Meanwhile, Ji Chu returned, and Gong Yeqi immediately checked his pulse, noting it was erratic. Gong Yeqi admonished Ji Chu not to get upset while taking his medicinal bath and subtly questioned if he was going soft on their plan, to which Ji Chu affirmed he was not.
Gong Yeqi also expressed concern about Ji Chu's health, reminding him not to drink cold tea due to his childhood ailments. Ji Chu, annoyed, asked for hot tea instead. An aide reported that Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao had gone to the weapons camp to investigate, prompting Ji Chu to express his eagerness to see what the Crown Prince would uncover.
Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao, in disguise, made their way into what Ji Yun identified as the Wei family's secret camp. Ji Yun remarked on the cunningness of Ji Chu's plan, noting that Imperial Consort Wei would never expect her precious son, Ji Feng, to be hidden right under their noses. Hua Qingge, whose primary mission was to find Ji Feng, spotted a man who looked like him but was pulled away by a guard.
She was then assigned to Manager Wang, tasked with grinding ink. Hua Qingge observed Manager Wang writing what appeared to be a secret letter but maintained her blind facade, understanding her life depended on it. Back at his residence, Ji Chu was informed that the Wei family had taken action, with a team of spies entering the city. Ji Chu calmly instructed them to stick to the plan.
Elsewhere, Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao continued their investigation, discovering that the weapons being produced were of poor quality, made of inferior iron. Ji Yun expressed his outrage at the potential casualties if Liang’s soldiers used such weapons, concluding that the Wei family was profiting immensely by replacing standard military weapons with their own shoddy products.
When confronted by guards about being in a restricted area, Ji Yun quickly fabricated a story about getting wet while carrying water and drying by the fire. He claimed they were new and unaware of the rules. The guards, unconvinced, ordered them to the supervisor's office for punishment. Hua Qingge, managing to find Ji Feng hiding under a carriage, signaled him to follow her.
Ji Feng, surprised to see her, initially believed Ji Chu had sent her for his rescue, expressing gratitude towards his third brother. Hua Qingge let him believe Prince Lv (Ji Chu) sent her, noting Ji Chu often spoke with a forked tongue. Ji Feng, reflecting on his time in captivity, admitted he had learned a lot from his ordeal and regretted not treating Ji Chu better in the past. Hua Qingge congratulated him on his maturity.
Ji Feng, eager for immediate action, then suggested sending a signal for Ji Chu’s troops to level the camp. Hua Qingge had to break the news that she was the only one who had infiltrated the camp. To escape, Hua Qingge proposed they hide in swill buckets, which were transported out of the camp daily at 1 AM. Ji Feng was appalled at the idea of such a disgrace, but Hua Qingge pressed him on whether he intended to stay.
Once inside the buckets, Ji Feng found the smell unbearable, fearing they would be discovered. Hua Qingge, prioritizing their survival, knocked Ji Feng unconscious. Later, Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao were ordered to fetch swill from the restaurant kitchen for the laborers. Hua Qingge, from within her bucket on a different cart, recognized them and was overjoyed. But as her cart was being moved, a guard discovered her and Ji Feng, leading to their capture.
Seeing Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao nearby, Hua Qingge desperately urged them to save their strength and return later. Ji Yun, seizing the opportunity, declared to the guards that the Wei family’s power was fading and offered them a chance to live under Prince Lv’s protection if they surrendered. After they were captured, Hua Qingge lamented her misfortune, having failed to save Ji Feng and now putting her own life at risk.
Ji Feng, regaining consciousness, complained about Hua Qingge's attack, accusing her of causing him further suffering. Hua Qingge sadly remarked that her escape skills were now useless. Meanwhile, the Duke, acting on Ji Chu's instructions, secretly informed His Majesty that Prince Qi was imprisoned in Wei Zhao’s secret camp. His Majesty was shocked and enraged to learn that Wei Zhao, Ji Feng’s uncle, was holding him hostage with the intent to rebel.
The Duke presented solid evidence of Wei Zhao’s private weapon manufacturing and soldier training, further revealing that the Crown Prince, Ji Yun, was also investigating at the Wei family’s weapons camp. The Duke urged His Majesty to act quickly to rescue both princes. Ji Chu received another report confirming that all Wei family spies had been controlled and the Duke had secured His Majesty’s trust.
When asked if they should proceed with the siege, Ji Chu advised patience, wanting to wait until the Wei family was truly desperate. General Wei, having discovered his spies were missing, confronted his sister, Imperial Consort Wei, for acting rashly. He realized they had fallen into a trap.
To cover their tracks, General Wei ordered the camp sealed, with no one entering or leaving, and stated his intention to return to the military camp to erase all traces, implying a mass extermination to leave no witnesses. When Ji Chu was informed that Hua Qingge had also been captured while trying to save Ji Feng, he was unexpectedly perturbed. He declared his intention to rescue Hua Qingge, as she was "his woman."
Gong Yeqi, alarmed, tried to dissuade Ji Chu, arguing that acting prematurely would jeopardize their long-term revenge plan against the Wei family. He questioned if Hua Qingge was worth sacrificing their years of meticulous planning, even reminding Ji Chu that she was supposedly his wife, though adding that she was "supposed to die." Ji Chu pushed past Gong Yeqi, stating he knew what he was doing.
Gong Yeqi, hurt by Ji Chu's actions, felt his brotherhood was disregarded for the woman. Imprisoned with Ji Feng, Hua Qingge tried to use him as a foothold to escape, but with his injured foot, Ji Feng complained about the indignity of being stepped on. Hua Qingge reminded him that everyone was equal in the face of death and they needed to find a way to escape.
Ji Feng continued to lament his broken foot, but Hua Qingge simply stated she was still alive. In a parallel effort, Lin Xiyao disguised herself and delivered preserved fruit, laced with laxatives, to the guards, hoping they would eat it and create an opportunity to enter the prison and rescue them. Ji Yun questioned her foresight, but Lin Xiyao admitted she wasn't certain, simply taking a chance given the guards' harsh conditions.
