Different Princess Episode 19 Recap
> Different Princess Recap
Ji Chu met with the Duke, discussing their plans to uncover the true mastermind behind the attempts to frame Ji Chu. Ji Chu suspected that the person intending to incriminate him had become aware of his actions and was planning to retaliate. He ruled out the Crown Prince as a suspect, wondering who else it could be.
The Duke recounted how he had ensured Wei Zhao was killed on the spot, making him a silent suspect in Prince Qi's imprisonment, which temporarily eased His Majesty's suspicion of Ji Chu. However, both acknowledged that this was only a temporary measure, and a lasting resolution required finding Prince Qi's true murderer. Meanwhile, Lin Xiyao was examining Ji Feng's body.
She noted that Ji Feng had been fatally stabbed in the heart but had not died instantly, showing signs of struggle. She discovered fragments of cloth and skin tissues under his fingernails, indicating he had likely scratched the murderer's arm during the altercation. Lin Xiyao decided to continue the autopsy, hoping to unearth more clues to quickly identify and apprehend the killer. Ji Chu visited Ji Feng's former residence, reflecting on his brother.
He recalled how Ji Feng had always followed him since childhood but had stopped addressing him as "Second Brother" after returning from the southern border, a lingering regret. Ji Wan'er was deeply saddened by Ji Feng's death, and Hua Qingge stayed with her, encouraging her to venture outside to lift her spirits. Hua Qingge gently urged Ji Wan'er to remain strong and live a good life in memory of Ji Feng. Ji Wan'er agreed.
Hua Qingge then asked Ji Wan'er about Ji Chu's character. Ji Wan'er described Ji Chu as being like a hedgehog – outwardly daunting and distant, but possessing a soft heart that he deliberately concealed, silently enduring his suffering and emotional burdens. She also noted his deep affection for others, which he struggled to express. While acknowledging the significant distance that had grown between Ji Chu and Ji Feng, Ji Wan'er maintained that a brotherly bond still existed.
She openly stated her awareness that Hua Qingge suspected Ji Chu in Feng's death but firmly believed Ji Chu would never harm his own brother. Hua Qingge conceded her initial suspicion, having witnessed Ji Feng's death in Ji Chu's presence, but admitted that the lack of information about the full event left many unanswered questions.
Ji Wan'er further pointed out that Ji Chu's intelligence would have allowed him a hundred ways to escape suspicion if he had intended to kill Ji Feng. Hua Qingge agreed with this reasoning, now puzzled about the true identity of the various enemies plotting against Ji Chu. Ji Chu was still diligently working to find Ji Feng's murderer. He informed a subordinate that the captured black-clad assassin had not yet confessed.
Hua Qingge then appeared, offering her assistance in investigating Ji Feng's case. Though Ji Chu feigned indifference, he was secretly pleased by her offer. Hua Qingge took over the interrogation, using psychological tactics. She brought up the assassin's fear of snakes, successfully coaxing him to speak. She then offered him a quick death if he truthfully answered her questions with "yes" or "no." The assassin admitted to being an assassin, not fearing death, and confirming he killed Ji Feng.
Hua Qingge then questioned why they would first frame Ji Chu and then attempt to kill him. Ji Chu explained that he had seen a distinctive tattoo on the assassin, which was so crucial to them that it changed their plan from merely implicating him to silencing him entirely. Hua Qingge realized the tattoo's significance and noted that the assassins' masks indicated their identity might be known to them.
As Hua Qingge and Ji Chu were walking, they encountered Ji Yun. Ji Yun informed them that Ji Feng's murderer had scratch marks on their arm and asked Ji Chu to allow an examination. Ji Chu initially refused, but Hua Qingge, wanting to clear his name, pulled up his sleeve to reveal his arm. Ji Yun saw numerous old scars on Ji Chu's arm, realizing he was not the killer.
Hua Qingge confirmed that Ji Chu was innocent, explaining that the captured assassin had confessed, though the mastermind remained unidentified. Ji Yun apologized for his earlier suspicions, and Ji Chu simply responded that he was accustomed to such treatment. Hua Qingge observed the many old scars on Ji Chu's arm, reflecting on the considerable suffering he must have endured over the years.
Meanwhile, Imperial Consort Wei was in a state of profound grief and delusion in Changhan Palace, continuously calling out for her son, Feng. She rejected all medicine, claiming she was not ill, and demanded to see her maidservant Wushuang or His Majesty. When an attendant tried to administer medicine, Imperial Consort Wei accused Ji Chu of sending the attendant to harm her. She repeatedly tried to rush out of her confinement, shouting that she needed to see His Majesty.
Later, Ji Chu, Ji Yun, and Hua Qingge visited the Empress. The Empress expressed her relief and comfort at seeing them all well after Ji Feng's tragic passing. She offered them pastries she had personally made. Ji Yun offered a pastry to Hua Qingge, but Ji Chu intervened, stating that Hua Qingge was recuperating and should avoid sweets.
To diffuse the awkwardness, the Empress announced her intention to host a tea party soon to find a suitable Crown Princess for Ji Yun, inviting Hua Qingge to help with the selection. Ji Yun expressed no urgency, but the Empress insisted, believing that an engagement would bring blessings to the royal family during their recent misfortunes.
During this visit, Imperial Consort Wei burst into the room, attempting to assassinate Ji Chu, screaming his name and vowing to kill him for Feng's death. Guards quickly restrained her. The Empress, ensuring Ji Chu was unharmed, sternly rebuked Imperial Consort Wei, reminding her that attempting to harm a prince was a capital offense and that she could no longer be protected. Imperial Consort Wei continued to rant about Ji Chu killing Feng.
The Empress ordered her removal, stating she would report the incident to His Majesty for his decision. Ji Yun remarked that Imperial Consort Wei seemed to have lost her sanity, and the Empress sadly concluded that His Majesty would likely not spare her, regardless of her mental state. Back in Changhan Palace, Imperial Consort Wei was still refusing the poisoned wine offered to her, clinging to the belief that she could not die because her son, Feng, needed his mother.
Ji Chu entered, dismissed the attendants, and approached her. Recalling Ji Feng's dying wish to spare their mother's life, Ji Chu informed Imperial Consort Wei that he had requested His Majesty to spare her life. He then pronounced her sentence: she would be confined to Changhan Palace for the rest of her days, never to leave. Ji Chu later spoke with Gong Yeqi, expressing his profound sense of liberation now that his long-planned revenge had been achieved.
Gong Yeqi, whose family name was Su and whose family had also been destroyed by the Wei family fifteen years prior due to the "Demon Poison," affirmed that this outcome was also his revenge. He vowed to eventually seek justice for the Su family and clear their name.
He lamented that his once prestigious medical family, bustling with talent, was reduced to just him living under an assumed name, with over a hundred family members unjustly killed due to the vicious Wei family's selfishness. He stressed that the Wei family could never truly compensate for such a loss and emphasized the critical importance of preventing the "Demon Poison" from ever reappearing to wreak havoc.
Ji Chu countered Gong Yeqi's somber outlook, stating that the most demonic thing was a chaotic world, and the most evil was the human heart itself. He declared his resolve to eliminate any obstacles and carve out a path for his own survival. Gong Yeqi confessed that he no longer envisioned a carefree life as a nomadic physician after his revenge, acknowledging his limitations as a physician who could neither resurrect the dead nor change the world.
Ji Chu then outlined his next objective: to find the true murderer of Ji Feng and the one who framed him, as that person remained a dangerous threat. He also declared his intention to keep Hua Qingge by his side, desiring both her presence and her heart. Gong Yeqi questioned whether he could truly win her heart, noting her elusive nature. Despite this, they toasted to their shared vengeance.
Later, Ji Wan'er confronted Hua Qingge, having shrewdly deduced her true identity as Hua Qingge from the Empress's unusually warm demeanor towards her. Hua Qingge attempted to deny it, but Ji Wan'er was too perceptive. Hua Qingge then jokingly called Ji Wan'er "the most intelligent character in my story," quickly correcting herself to "the most intelligent princess in the royal family."
Ji Wan'er accused her of deception, expressing that she had always considered Hua Qingge her best friend, only to discover she was her third sister-in-law. Hua Qingge insisted on maintaining their friendship, preferring not to be called her sister-in-law. Ji Wan'er also suspected that Ji Chu must have known Hua Qingge's true identity for a long time. Hua Qingge admitted her situation was complicated, being both Hua Qingge and not Hua Qingge.
Ji Wan'er then revealed she had initially thought Hua Qingge held affections for Ji Yun. Hua Qingge vehemently denied this, stating that Lin Xiyao was Ji Yun's destined partner. Around the same time, Gong Yeqi was observed repeatedly passing by Ji Wan'er's study, feigning a casual stroll. Ji Wan'er noticed him and directly asked if he had come specifically for her. He denied it, claiming he was searching for a particular medical book.
Ji Wan'er, knowledgeable in medicine, listed several basic medical texts like "Herbs Compendium," "Shennong Materia Medica," and "Injury and Illness Manual," subtly implying that such rudimentary books would not be of interest to someone with his advanced medical skills. She then directly called him out for lying, a fact he tacitly admitted by his silence.
