Different Princess Episode 20 Recap
> Different Princess Recap
Hua Qingge and Ji Chu continued to examine the tattoo found on the black-clad assailant. Ji Chu speculated it might be a totem or a religious symbol, but Hua Qingge found it more plausible that it was the emblem of a mysterious organization, vaguely attributing her knowledge to "movies." Both realized that anyone bearing this tattoo must be part of the same faction, and Ji Chu immediately ordered a secret city-wide search for individuals with the distinct mark.
Gong Yeqi visited Ji Wan'er to retrieve some medical books, promising to send more if she finished them. While he was there, Young Master Chen approached Ji Wan'er, attempting to woo her with a new poem. Gong Yeqi subtly intervened by diagnosing Young Master Chen with severe symptoms of kidney deficiency, advising him to exercise restraint and seek treatment at Mystic Medicine House. Embarrassed, Young Master Chen quickly excused himself.
Ji Wan'er teasingly remarked on Gong Yeqi's mean behavior, clearly sensing his jealousy. Secretary Du informed Lin Xiyao that he would be writing dossiers for her for the last time, surprising her. She tried to help him with the documents and accidentally burned his arm. She offered to take him to a clinic, but he insisted on bandaging it himself.
Meanwhile, Ji Chu learned of Secretary Du's imminent departure, which Hua Qingge found regrettable, describing Du as "adorable," much to Ji Chu's slight jealousy. Ji Chu then suspected a mole might be among them and ordered everyone in the East Office to gather and show their arms, fearing a potential killer might be using resignation to escape. When Secretary Du arrived, his arm was bandaged, and Lin Xiyao quickly explained that she had accidentally burned him.
Suddenly, one of the assembled men attempted to flee, confirming he was the mole. Ji Chu's men apprehended him. The mole, bearing the tattoo on his right shoulder and a scratch on his left hand (matching the description of Prince Qi's killer), refused to reveal his organization or his motives, prompting Ji Chu to order a severe interrogation. Hua Qingge realized that "danger is everywhere" and that "we can't trust the people around us," with the exception of Lin Xiyao.
Lin Xiyao pleaded with Ji Chu not to make things difficult for Secretary Du, vouching for his diligent service. Ji Chu assured her he was merely being paranoid, confirmed Du's resignation had been approved, and allowed him to leave in peace. Secretary Du expressed his gratitude to both Ji Chu and Hua Qingge. Ji Chu, asserting that Hua Qingge knew him best, then proposed a permanent solution to their charade as husband and wife: "making it real."
Hua Qingge, though feigning disinterest and accusing him of talking nonsense, privately acknowledged his charm, believing only she could "handle" such an arch-villain. She had not yet revealed her true identity to Ji Chu, but he already harbored suspicions about her. After leaving the East Office, Ji Chu offered to take Hua Qingge to the market.
She declined, explaining she had an important appointment with Ji Wan'er and Lin Xiyao for the Moon Worship Festival, which was meant to be a day for lovers to confess their feelings and find lasting happiness. She revealed her plan to discreetly arrange for Lin Xiyao and Ji Yun to fall in love. Although initially annoyed, Ji Chu agreed to let her lead, reminding her of her public identity as Princess Consort Lv.
As they strolled through the bustling market, Hua Qingge was overjoyed and urged Ji Chu to hurry to meet Ji Wan'er. Ji Yun, witnessing Hua Qingge pulling Ji Chu's hand, felt a pang of sadness. Secretary Du, who was with Ji Yun, remarked that "sometimes, it's a blessing not to get what you want," implying a shared understanding of unrequited love. Lin Xiyao found herself lost in the bustling market.
The Duke encountered her and learned of her poor sense of direction, a trait that reminded him of his late wife. He also recalled Lin Xiyao's mother, who suffered from the same "problem," leading him to wonder if Lin Xiyao could be his long-lost daughter. Meanwhile, Ji Wan'er and Gong Yeqi were invited to participate in a couples' game.
Ji Wan'er mentioned she was naturally cold and feared the cold, to which Gong Yeqi playfully responded that such a statement made doctors feel bad. In the game, participants had to identify their partner's hand behind a screen. Out of five couples, only Ji Wan'er and Gong Yeqi correctly identified each other. They received a pair of jade pendants as a "crescent prize." Ji Wan'er asked how he recognized her hand.
Gong Yeqi explained that he remembered her hand shape from when he took her pulse, and also noted her fingers carried the unique scent of books from her constant reading. Shortly after speaking with Ji Yun, Secretary Du noticed a child sitting on the ground as a signboard was about to fall. He quickly dashed forward, sweeping the child to safety.
Gong Yeqi, who arrived on the scene, immediately examined the child and diagnosed epilepsy caused by seizures, swiftly curing him and impressing onlookers. Amidst the commotion, Secretary Du subtly took his leave. Ji Yun, witnessing Du's exceptional agility, was puzzled by how a civil official possessed such impressive martial arts skills. Soon after, Hua Qingge, Ji Chu, and Lin Xiyao also arrived, with Ji Chu teasing Lin Xiyao about getting lost again, and Hua Qingge asking for Ji Wan'er's whereabouts.
Ji Wan'er was abducted by a man who forcibly declared his intention to marry her after the moon worship ceremony. Fortunately, Gong Yeqi arrived in time, swiftly incapacitating the man with a "Beg to Die needle," which would inflict unbearable pain. A relieved Ji Wan'er tearfully embraced Gong Yeqi, expressing her certainty that he would come to her rescue. Gong Yeqi, though returning her embrace, hesitated, recalling the deep-seated blood feud between the royal family and his Su family.
He tried to maintain distance, citing their incompatible statuses as the reason he couldn't look at her. Ji Wan'er, however, declared her willingness to abandon her princess identity to be with him. She then playfully, as Hua Qingge taught her, declared her heart was wounded and vowed that Gong Yeqi would have to "take care of her forever," clinging to him. Moved, Gong Yeqi decided that since his family's revenge was achieved, he could finally follow his heart.
He then embraced her fully and carried her back. Ji Chu witnessed Gong Yeqi carrying Ji Wan'er. Hua Qingge lamented internally that her "plot had gone wrong," as her plan to bring Ji Yun and Lin Xiyao together had failed, while Ji Wan'er and Gong Yeqi's relationship had unexpectedly accelerated. Ji Wan'er happily announced to Ji Chu that she and Gong Yeqi had decided to be together.
Ji Chu voiced his disapproval, stating that because he knew them both, they were not a good fit. Ji Wan'er retorted that it wasn't his decision to make. Ji Chu then questioned Gong Yeqi if he could truly "let go" of his past grievances, to which Gong Yeqi responded he would "give it a shot for Wan'er." Ji Chu, still skeptical, declared that their relationship wouldn't end well.
Ji Wan'er, however, firmly stated that "no matter what happens, he's the only one I want to be with." Ji Chu then turned to Hua Qingge, asking if she had "watched enough," and challenged her to give the couple a chance since Gong Yeqi was willing to set aside his hatred. He then set a condition: he would agree to their relationship if Hua Qingge moved back to the Prince Lv Residence.
Though Hua Qingge found his demand unreasonable, she reluctantly agreed for Ji Wan'er's happiness, privately realizing she had been tricked and wondering if he still intended to kill her. Upon her return to the residence, Ji Chu welcomed her, declaring her the mistress and giving her free rein over arrangements. He also assigned Mo Yu as her personal attendant, which Hua Qingge suspected was more for surveillance than service.
Ji Chu promised to return to spend time with her after finishing his duties at the East Office. Later, the Duke saw Lin Xiyao at a street-side wonton stall and greeted her. He noted that her preference for spicy food and wontons was strikingly similar to his lost daughter's, further deepening his suspicion that she might be his child.
Back at the East Office, Ji Chu investigated Secretary Du's handwriting from twenty years ago, discovering a significant difference from his current elegant and smooth style, raising his suspicions. Ji Yun arrived and confirmed Secretary Du's impressive martial arts skills, which he had witnessed earlier. Ji Chu concluded that the confessed killer was likely a scapegoat and decided to monitor Secretary Du discreetly to draw out the real mastermind.
Ji Yun affirmed his commitment to investigating the case with Ji Chu, especially given Prince Qi's death, while Ji Chu sarcastically remarked that Ji Yun's lack of suspicion towards him was already a great help. Ji Chu was informed that Secretary Du had completed his handover but had not yet left the city, prompting him to issue orders for secret surveillance.
