Fake Princess Episode 15 Recap
> Fake Princess Recap
Li Che, severely wounded and looking haggard, was tended to by Princess Arietty, who compassionately applied medicine and bandaged his injuries. Chang Le then rushed into the bedchamber, lamenting her own childishness for inadvertently causing Li Che's severe wounds. Upon regaining consciousness, Li Che’s first act was to comfort Chang Le, assuring her that he was fine and not to cry.
He was a bit distant towards Princess Arietty, whom he hadn't seen in over a decade, but upon learning she had saved him, he expressed his gratitude. Gongsun Mo knelt before Li Che, blaming himself for a poorly planned mission. Li Che, however, clarified that the plan was thorough; he simply hadn't blown the whistle.
Curious about Li Che's current plight, Princess Arietty pressed him with several questions, learning that the Crown Prince of Pei country had been expelled from the palace, which she found utterly outrageous. In the main hall, Princess Arietty presented special thyme incense to the Empress, a gift she had prepared in various scents for all the Noble Consorts in the harem. The Emperor was delighted by Princess Arietty's quick wit.
She then mentioned Li Che's recent assassination attempt, prompting the Emperor to confirm that a thorough investigation was underway and to thank her for her timely intervention. Princess Arietty further proposed that the Crown Prince be recalled to Jingren Palace. Citing safety concerns, the Emperor agreed, unknowingly undermining the Empress who had painstakingly arranged for Li Che to reside outside the palace for his training as the Minister of Justice.
Later, Chang Le urged Li Che to diligently practice martial arts, emphasizing that he needed to be able to protect himself and her, especially with his ongoing rivalry with Liu Sheng. Li Che, acknowledging his childhood dislike for fighting, agreed to resume his training, promising to wake an hour earlier each morning to practice once his wounds healed. Princess Arietty later informed Li Che that she had successfully persuaded the Emperor to have him return to Jingren Palace.
Li Che offered a polite but detached thank you, stating his preference to remain outside the palace, citing the convenience for his duties as the Minister of Justice and the greater freedom it offered for accompanying her on tours. Accepting his decision, Princess Arietty conceded the matter. Princess Arietty, in front of Chang Le, mentioned a childhood promise she had made with Li Che. To avoid conflict, Li Che feigned forgetfulness.
After Princess Arietty left, Chang Le immediately pressed Li Che about the promise, but he continued to deny any recollection. He then explained his reluctance to return to the palace, admitting a large part was due to her, as palace life was restrictive and inconvenient for their time together. He also suggested it was a good opportunity to visit Rong City.
Chang Le, pleased that she was the main reason he didn't want to return to the palace, teasingly warned him to stay away from Princess Arietty. Elsewhere, Prime Minister Liu reviewed letters exchanged between Zhu Yan and Li Heng, noting that Tianshui Town and Pingle City were frequently mentioned. He dispatched agents to investigate these locations and confirmed that preparations for Xiao Baisheng were complete.
Early the next morning, Li Che was practicing martial arts when Chang Le confronted him about the childhood promise. Soon after, Princess Arietty appeared, stating her intention to live wherever Li Che did. This declaration, coupled with Li Che's continued denial of the promise, enraged Chang Le, who playfully bit his shoulder in a fit of jealousy. Princess Arietty then expressed a desire to see Li Che's bedchamber and later asked him to accompany her to buy rouge.
Seizing an opportunity, Chang Le led Princess Arietty to her own room and personally applied rouge for her. During their conversation, Chang Le subtly learned that Li Che and Princess Arietty's childhood "promise" was, in fact, an engagement. When Nong Ying entered the room, she found Princess Arietty amused but, under Chang Le's stern gaze, quickly complimented Princess Arietty’s makeup, despite its possibly uneven application. Meanwhile, Li Heng and Zhu Yan walked hand-in-hand through the lively streets of Pingle City.
They decided to find a temporary inn first, then a more permanent residence. Li Heng inquired with an elderly man, Uncle Zheng, about inns in the city. Upon learning there were none, he respectfully asked if they could stay at Uncle Zheng’s house for a few nights. Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng graciously agreed, offering their deceased son's room for their stay and refusing any payment.
In the palace, the Empress suggested to the Emperor that Princess Arietty be betrothed to Li Heng to strengthen relations between the two countries. The Emperor, however, deemed such a union a matter of great importance, requiring consideration of Princess Arietty's own wishes. He also noted Li Heng's lack of initiative, which made any attempt to arrange the match difficult, concluding that the matter should be discussed later.
The Emperor then inquired about Li Heng's prolonged absence from court, observing that he hadn't come to pay his respects for many days. The Empress, concealing the truth, claimed Li Heng had caught a cold while visiting his maternal grandfather and was recovering. She promised to ensure Li Heng would pay his respects as soon as he was well, and the Emperor, expressing concern, urged Li Heng to take care and offered imperial physicians if needed.
That night, Uncle Zheng returned the silver Li Heng had given him earlier, suggesting that if they truly wished to show gratitude, they could help him purchase some fabric for Auntie Zheng's upcoming 70th birthday gift. Li Heng gladly accepted. After selecting the fabric, Li Heng confided in Zhu Yan that their task wasn't fully complete; Uncle Zheng wanted to embroider Auntie Zheng's name on the garment but had forgotten it.
Reflecting on this, they contemplated their own future as they aged. Li Heng then spontaneously suggested that they use Auntie Zheng’s 70th birthday celebration as an opportunity for Uncle Zheng and Auntie Zheng to be their marriage witnesses. Zhu Yan, touched by the idea, happily agreed. Li Heng presented Zhu Yan with a silver bracelet as a bride price, apologizing for its humbleness after failing to find anything more elaborate in Pingle City.
Zhu Yan, however, reassured him that she had long accepted the hardships that might come with eloping with him, and his concern was unnecessary. Later, Chang Le sat alone, visibly upset. Li Che entered to comfort her, but Chang Le, still angry, confronted him about the childhood promise he made to Princess Arietty at age six.
Li Che quickly tried to appease her, claiming he was too young to understand then and that the promise didn't count, especially since he hadn't known Chang Le yet. As they bantered, Nong Ying entered, urgently informing Li Che that Princess Arietty was looking for him and that if he didn't attend to her, no one in the household would get any sleep.
Princess Arietty found Li Che, inquiring about other interesting places in Pei country, as she had explored all of the capital. Li Che suggested Rong City, known for its food and scenery, and only a three-day journey away. The trio then went to the main hall to seek the Emperor’s permission to travel to Rong City. Recognizing their prior agreement, the Emperor readily approved, but made Li Che promise to ensure Princess Arietty's safety.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yan spent time chatting with Auntie Zheng, who remarked on how their presence had brought much-needed liveliness to her quiet home. Zhu Yan then asked Auntie Zheng for her full name, only to learn that Auntie Zheng herself had long forgotten it, having been called "Zheng Fengshi" for decades. Returning to their room, Zhu Yan relayed this to Li Heng, who then proposed giving Auntie Zheng a new name.
Combining Uncle Zheng's name, Zheng Yuanhang, and Auntie Zheng's surname, Feng, Zhu Yan came up with "Feng Fan," symbolizing "setting sail to embark on a distant voyage," a name they both found meaningful. On their journey to Rong City, Princess Arietty, feeling restless, challenged Li Che to a horse race. Her persistent closeness to Li Che stirred Chang Le’s jealousy.
However, to maintain her disguise, Chang Le controlled her emotions and remained in her sedan chair as advised, rather than outwardly reacting. When the group arrived at an inn, the proprietor explained that his small establishment had limited rooms and food, making it difficult to host their large party. Seeing Princess Arietty's continuous playful gestures towards Li Che, Chang Le impulsively declared that she could resolve the food shortage.
Without further explanation, she led a large group of people away from the inn to go hunting. Gongsun Mo, observing Chang Le’s jealous outburst, mused about how terrifying jealous women could be. Li Che waited outside the inn for Chang Le's return. Princess Arietty then discreetly handed Li Che a letter, explaining that her Father King had specifically instructed her to deliver it in a secluded place due to the many spies in the palace.
This exchange was witnessed by Chang Le, who, mistaking it for a private communication between them, demanded to see it. Li Che refused, explaining it contained sensitive political matters and he wished to protect her from such dangerous involvement. Chang Le, however, warned him against lying to her.
