Fake Princess Episode 10 Recap
> Fake Princess Recap
Nong Ying personally brought medicine to Gong Sunmo, who expressed that it would be wonderful if she were truly the Crown Princess’s maid. He then confronted her, stating that he knew everything and that she shouldn't pretend otherwise, pointing to the stolen letter from the Zhu residence and Ling’s report of Nong Ying’s absence that night.
When Nong Ying initially denied it, blaming Ling, Gong Sunmo pressed her on the Nine-leaf copper lotus machine and the skill of running the machine of Duan family, asking if she had anything to say. In order to protect Chang Le, who had saved herself during an assassin attack, Nong Ying finally admitted she was the successor of the skill of running the machine and the one who intercepted the letter.
Gong Sunmo was surprised by her quick confession, questioning if she feared death. Nong Ying confidently stated that she still had value and they wouldn't kill her, suggesting she could serve them as a double agent, just as she served Liu Sheng, offering a mutually beneficial arrangement. Gong Sunmo acknowledged the benefits but questioned her trustworthiness, revealing that he had already investigated her thoroughly.
He knew her true identity was Liu Shuangshuang, a notorious wanted criminal from the Jiangnan area who had disappeared last May, only to reappear in Liu Sheng’s residence as a servant girl named Nong Ying in the same year. Nong Ying explained that the people she killed were all corrupt officials who deserved death. She recounted her past, born into a common farming family.
Her younger brother, who loved reading and wrote well, was brutally murdered by a corrupt county magistrate in front of her after he wrote a complaint against the official. From that day on, she sought out martial arts teachers, and her first act after mastering her skills was to kill that corrupt official, vowing to eliminate all such officials.
She admitted that her current predicament with Liu Sheng was an accident, having killed one of his henchmen last year, which led to her being caught by him. Gong Sunmo acknowledged her desire to eradicate corrupt officials but warned her that if she helped Liu Sheng and Li Heng ascended to the throne, Liu Sheng’s rise to power would only create more corrupt officials.
In contrast, Li Che was benevolent and loved his people, ensuring peace and prosperity for Pei country. Nong Ying confessed that she, too, wished to eliminate corrupt officials, but her mother was being held captive by Liu Sheng, leaving her with no choice but to obey him. Gong Sunmo understood her plight and promised that if the opportunity arose, he would rescue her mother, urging her not to aid Liu Sheng further.
However, Gong Sunmo revealed he couldn't forgive the true inheritor of Duan family's skill. He doubted Nong Ying’s claim to be the successor, pointing out that the Nine-leaf copper lotus machine that saved her couldn't be learned so easily. He concluded that she was protecting someone else, implying it was Crown Princess Liu Yuyao (Chang Le). Nong Ying, concerned, asked what he intended to do.
Gong Sunmo revealed that he had guessed the identity of the person she was protecting and that Zhu Daren had already taken men to the mountain to capture her. Nong Ying was shocked, but Gong Sunmo threatened her with twenty waiting assassins if she dared to interfere, asserting she couldn't save her.
Meanwhile, Zhu Daren met with Li Che, confessing he had privately decided to "eliminate" the Crown Princess without Li Che's permission, claiming she was highly suspicious and now likely dead. Just then, Qin Dage appeared, saving Chang Le from the numerous assassins when she was overwhelmed. Li Che rushed to Chang Le, expressing concern for her safety, noticing her injuries, and demanding to know who killed the attackers. Chang Le feigned ignorance, but Li Che pressed her to remember.
Nong Ying then appeared, a bloody weapon in hand, falsely claiming she killed the assassins. She explained that due to the ongoing animosity between the Liu family and Li Che, her lord had sent her to protect Chang Le, and without her martial arts, Chang Le would have been killed. Li Che seemed partially convinced.
Li Che angrily confronted Zhu Daren for his audacity, reminding him that his grandfather had instructed him to keep the Crown Princess alive, not to kill her, and questioned how he would explain her death to his father. Zhu Daren, however, defended his actions as necessary for the greater good, asserting that Liu Yuyao was a major threat who "cannot be kept." He even suggested they could feign an accident, offering to bear sole responsibility if exposed.
Li Che was appalled by Zhu Daren’s ruthless philosophy of "rather kill a thousand by mistake than let off a single," calling it absurd and vicious for a high-ranking official. Zhu Daren challenged Li Che to consider if he would be as ruthless for the imperial throne, but Li Che countered, asking if he would rule his future subjects with such cruelty.
Gong Sunmo intervened, pleading for Zhu Daren, highlighting his past contributions and the fact that Chang Le was unharmed. Li Che, after a moment, relented, warning Zhu Daren against future such actions and telling him he did not need to be involved in certain future affairs. Gong Sunmo then subtly teased Li Che for being overly emotional for a woman, reminding him that Zhu Daren had served him diligently and that an overly harsh punishment would displease other officials.
Li Che admitted his impulsiveness. Gong Sunmo then brought Nong Ying forward to reveal her status as a spy for Liu Sheng. Nong Ying confessed that she was an undercover agent and had stolen Li Che's letter. She assured Li Che that Chang Le was unaware of her spy identity, only recently learning of her martial arts, and implored him to keep her identity a secret from Chang Le.
She described Chang Le as innocent and kind, with no interest in the power struggles between their families, and said that Chang Le loved Li Che with all her heart. Li Che, visibly pleased by this revelation, questioned Nong Ying further about Chang Le's feelings, but Gong Sunmo quickly prompted Nong Ying to continue her other matters. Nong Ying reiterated her predicament with Liu Sheng holding her mother captive, forcing her to comply.
She proposed becoming a double agent, sending false information to Liu Sheng, on the condition that her true allegiance remained hidden to protect her mother’s life. Li Che accepted her proposal, provided all information sent to Liu Sheng was approved by them, and promised to help with her mother’s situation. Nong Ying pledged her unwavering loyalty if her mother were rescued.
When Li Che inquired about the owner of the Nine-leaf copper lotus, Nong Ying stated she could not reveal it yet but guaranteed that the owner would never harm him. Li Che, satisfied for the moment, instructed Nong Ying to focus on caring for Chang Le and preventing any suspicion. Despite the arrangement, Gong Sunmo remained suspicious.
He couldn’t reconcile Nong Ying’s story about killing the assassins with the limited time available and expressed lingering concerns about the Duan family's skill, which he believed had been eradicated. He suspected Chang Le's potential connection to the Duan family through her mother, Geng Yu, who was a close friend of Duan Jin’s sister, Duan Nianer.
Gong Sunmo suggested testing Chang Le, even proposing the terrifying possibility that Chang Le herself might have saved Nong Ying and killed the assassins, merely feigning innocence. Li Che initially dismissed this as impossible but eventually agreed to a test, making Gong Sunmo promise that Chang Le would not be harmed in any way.
Gong Sunmo also pointed out their own lack of fighting skills and Nong Ying's formidable martial arts, emphasizing the need for a highly skilled individual to assist in the test and serve as Li Che's personal bodyguard. Gong Sunmo then revealed he already had someone in mind for the role. After returning, Nong Ying informed Chang Le about her agreement to be a double agent, assuring her that her secrets were safe.
Chang Le lamented Liu Sheng’s untrustworthiness, as he had promised to protect her villagers but then sent assassins after her. Nong Ying clarified that the attack was orchestrated by Zhu Daren, likely on Gong Sunmo’s orders, not Li Che’s, explaining that their suspicion stemmed from the earlier theft, fearing Chang Le might harm Li Che. Nong Ying reassured Chang Le that Li Che now genuinely cared for her and wouldn’t seek her harm.
Chang Le, though shaken by the near-death experience, was relieved it wasn't Li Che and declared herself ready for future challenges. Chang Le then brought up Ling, who had betrayed Nong Ying to Gong Sunmo, deeming her a threat. Nong Ying suggested eliminating Ling, but Chang Le preferred to send Ling back to the Empress, finding it a more prudent solution.
Gong Sunmo, through a “knowledgeable person,” found a highly skilled individual named Feiyu, who was actually Qin Dage, to serve as Li Che’s personal bodyguard. Nong Ying warned Chang Le that Li Che's recruitment of such a powerful figure was likely a move against them. Intrigued, Chang Le went to meet Li Che’s new bodyguard, where she was stunned to discover it was her "Brother Qin."
Later, she secretly met with Qin Dage, where he expressed his surprise at finding her as the Crown Princess and asked about their villagers. Chang Le tearfully apologized and revealed that Liu Sheng had captured all their people. She then recounted the entire story to Qin Dage, starting from her theft of the telescope.
Qin Dage, having discovered their absence from the village and followed rumors of a skilled thief to the capital, confirmed he had followed her and Li Che during their hunt, intervening when assassins attacked her. He then warned her that Nong Ying was skilled in Kungfu, but Chang Le dismissed his concern, assuring him that Nong Ying was on their side, with her mother also held captive by Liu Sheng.
Chang Le proposed they rescue Nong Ying’s mother, but Qin Dage advised against any rash actions that might complicate matters. He suggested they wait for Liu Sheng's promised three months, after which he would return with them all to the mountain. Meanwhile, the Empress suffered from a severe, chronic headache that none of the imperial physicians could cure. The Emperor, frustrated, ordered a search for skilled healers outside the palace, promising rewards.
Just as the Empress despaired, a Taoist priest arrived. Dismissing the imperial physicians’ skepticism, the priest conducted a ritual, and asked the Empress if she had dreamt of a black cat. Upon her confirmation, he led them to the palace courtyard, where they unearthed a dead black cat. The priest explained that the cat’s powerful grievance had caused the Empress’s headache. A palace servant confessed to torturing the cat to death and burying it to hide her cruelty.
The Empress decided that the servant who caused the problem should resolve it and ordered her to kowtow three times to the dead cat to appease its spirit. After the servant complied, the Empress declared her headache was gone. The Emperor, overjoyed, offered a substantial reward, but the Taoist priest humbly refused, stating his path was one of cultivation, not wealth.
When the Empress asked him to divine her fortune, the priest revealed that while she would be well, the Emperor himself would face a great disaster. Li Heng angrily denounced the priest, but the Empress, intrigued, asked if there was a solution. The priest explained that the Emperor’s destiny was unique and he would need to perform further divination to find a way to avert the impending misfortune.
To test Chang Le, Li Che and Gong Sunmo inquired about her whereabouts from Nong Ying, who said Chang Le was resting. Li Che then used "eight-treasured sweet dumplings" as bait to lure Chang Le out. At the restaurant, Li Che and Chang Le playfully fed each other dumplings, with Chang Le fully aware that she was being tested. Gong Sunmo then led Nong Ying away to fetch wine.
Nong Ying, sensing they were being followed, created a diversion to lead the pursuer away. After a brief confrontation, she realized the "assassin" was none other than Qin Dage. While Nong Ying was distracted, Chang Le was drugged and abducted. The assassins tied her up and interrogated her about being a successor of the Duan family and her martial arts skills. Chang Le feigned ignorance, but she quickly deduced that this was another test orchestrated by Li Che.
The assassins, reporting back to Li Che and Gong Sunmo that Chang Le denied everything, were instructed by Li Che to continue the interrogation, as Nong Ying was still occupied by Feiyu (Qin Dage).
