Fake Princess Episode 21 Recap
> Fake Princess Recap
That day, inside the hostage hut, Li Heng found himself in a vulnerable position. He dramatically pulled aside the curtain of the hut, threatening to expose everything within to the Emperor's view, thereby intimidating General Shen. General Shen, left with no choice, reluctantly relented. The Third Princess later explained that her grandfather, General Shen, had intended to use the situation to kill Liu Sheng, but Li Heng broke free and took her hostage, leading to the standoff.
Prime Minister Liu, in his own remarks, noted Li Heng's exceptional cleverness and quick thinking. After the ordeal, Li Che and his group departed, leaving the Third Princess in the martial arts arena feeling dejected. Li Heng approached her, commenting on her deep affection for Li Che and how unappreciated she seemed, as Li Che had already left with his Crown Princess in a carriage. Li Heng then offered the Third Princess a ride, which she accepted.
Upon returning to his residence, Prime Minister Liu instructed his son, Liu Sansi, to inform the Empress and Li Heng not to act rashly for the next few days until his injuries healed. He also dispatched Liu Sansi to fetch Dr. Liu from the south of the city, renowned for treating trauma. No sooner had he finished speaking than he fainted from the pain.
A frantic servant then rushed in to report that the dungeon had been raided and the prisoners freed the previous night. After being rescued, the bandits raised a toast to Li Che, expressing their profound gratitude and vowing to assist him without hesitation should he ever need their help. Li Che humbly accepted, stating that Chang Le's relatives were his own and thanked them for caring for her over the years.
Brother Qin, in turn, acknowledged Li Che as his brother-in-law. Meanwhile, Nong Ying carefully tucked her mother into bed. Chang Le then sought out Nong Ying to inquire about her future plans. Nong Ying explained her intention to leave and live a peaceful life with her mother, as Gongsun Mo had not appeared to ask her to stay. Chang Le understood, bidding her farewell with a wish to meet again.
Brother Qin then gathered the bandits, announcing their need to vacate the mountain stronghold for their safety. He outlined a plan for them to disguise themselves as tea merchants and travel south to Rong City, where his master would arrange their new lives. A bandit inquired if Chang Le would accompany them, and she confirmed her intention to go.
Li Che, distressed by her decision, pleaded with her to stay, offering to remove all guards from the Crown Prince's Residence and even bring the entire bandit group to live there. Chang Le, however, insisted that she was a brigand by nature and needed to return to her former life. When Li Che turned to Brother Qin for help, Brother Qin sided with Chang Le, affirming her place among the bandits.
Li Che, desperate, declared that he would abandon his title as Crown Prince and even the throne to be with her, proclaiming that without her, the throne held no meaning for him. It was then revealed that Brother Qin and the others had orchestrated the entire scenario as a test to ascertain Li Che's loyalty and trustworthiness as their "brother-in-law."
Early the next morning, Gongsun Mo visited Li Che, feigning concern for the Crown Princess's waking hours, but his true purpose was to find Nong Ying. Li Che, seeing through his pretense, revealed that Nong Ying had already left, heading west, and that Gongsun Mo might still have a chance to stop her if he hurried. Gongsun Mo immediately rushed to West City, frantically searching.
He even climbed onto a carriage for a vantage point, but Nong Ying was nowhere to be found. As he stood there dejected, Nong Ying watched him from a hidden spot, but chose not to reveal herself. The Third Princess returned, demanding an answer from Li Che regarding their marriage, now that Chang Le’s people were safe.
As Li Che hesitated, Chang Le entered, holding a bowl of tremella soup, and offered some to the Third Princess, effectively interrupting the conversation. The Third Princess then gave Li Che a three-hour ultimatum for his decision. Later, unsure how to proceed, Li Che showed Chang Le a letter from the King of the Night Kingdom, which explicitly stated that his marriage to Princess Arietty (the Third Princess) would secure military aid for his claim to the throne.
Upon reading the letter, Chang Le, visibly upset, walked away without a word. Li Che, now in a panic, confided in Gongsun Mo that Chang Le was avoiding him. He later found her room empty. A disheartened Chang Le sought out Brother Qin, explaining that Li Che's marriage to the Third Princess would significantly benefit his bid for the throne.
Brother Qin acknowledged the political complexities and dangers of court life, referencing the past tragedy of the Duan family where many were implicated and died, emphasizing that they, as outsiders, had the option to leave and ensure their safety. However, he also recognized the deep love between Chang Le and Li Che, stating that leaving would cause Li Che immense pain.
He advised Chang Le to carefully consider her decision to stay or leave, assuring her of his support regardless of her choice, and setting a meeting point at Yuxi Bridge that night for her final answer. Later, Li Che found Chang Le, apologizing profusely and begging her to return to the palace, promising to accept any punishment. Chang Le, however, reiterated her conviction that he should marry the Third Princess for the sake of his imperial ambitions.
Li Che, clearly pained, declared his unwavering love for her, asserting that she was the most important person in his life and that the throne meant nothing without her. He forbade her from ever leaving him again. Alone, Li Che reflected on his egregious error in leading the Third Princess on, admitting his fault and resolving to offer her a sincere apology. The Third Princess eventually returned for Li Che's answer.
Li Che apologized, confessing that he could not marry her and should not have strung her along. Tears welled in the Third Princess's eyes, but she gracefully accepted his decision, acknowledging that his actions had already shown where his heart lay. She forgave him and mentioned that she would be leaving soon but still wished for him to fulfill his promise of taking her to eat Chinese wafers.
Later, the Third Princess visited Chang Le's chambers, stating she had something she wished to discuss with her. Meanwhile, Brother Qin waited at the agreed-upon location for Chang Le. However, upon returning to his own chambers, Li Che found only a letter from Chang Le, stating her desire for a free life and that she had departed, asking him not to worry.
The Third Princess then informed Li Heng that she had successfully forced Chang Le's departure, leaving Li Che isolated. Li Heng immediately responded that the Empress had been awaiting her. The Third Princess then met with the Empress, directly proposing an alliance: she would compel Li Che to return to the Night Kingdom as her consort. She explained her plan to ruin his reputation in Pei Kingdom, leaving him no choice but to willingly accompany her.
Concurrently, Chang Le was discussing her decision with Brother Qin, asserting that a life as a brigand was more fitting for her than being a Crown Princess. It was revealed that the Third Princess had blackmailed Chang Le, threatening to expose secrets to the Emperor if she did not leave Li Che. As Chang Le and Brother Qin traveled, they were intercepted by a group of men in black clothes.
These men clarified that the Third Princess's actions were a pretense for the Empress, and invited Chang Le to return and strategize with the Third Princess to overthrow the Empress. Nong Ying, who had been secretly observing Chang Le since hearing of her forced departure, emerged and confirmed the men's explanation. Overwhelmed by Chang Le's disappearance, Li Che attempted to leave the capital city under the cover of night to search for her.
Gongsun Mo intervened, reminding him that Consort Hui's birthday celebration was tomorrow, and their absence would be inexplicable to the Emperor. Accepting the logic, Li Che returned to the residence with Gongsun Mo. The two men, both distraught over their respective lost loves, sat in mournful silence. Later, the Third Princess, witnessing Li Che's continued despondency, expressed sympathy and offered to keep him company during Chang Le's absence.
She suggested they go shopping for a gift for Consort Hui's birthday banquet that evening. As they strolled through the marketplace, Li Che was constantly reminded of Chang Le. In an antique shop, he recalled polishing a black jade for Chang Le, and the Third Princess remarked that Chang Le would have adored such an item. Later, in a gambling house, the scene brought back memories of Chang Le's uncanny ability to win.
Deeply lost in his love for Chang Le, Li Che moved through the market as if an empty shell. The Third Princess eventually reminded him that it was time to proceed to the palace for the celebrations.
