Fake Princess Episode 3 Recap
> Fake Princess Recap
After a moment of unexpected intimacy, Chang Le, embracing Li Che, gently asked if he was alright. He returned the question, and both confirmed their well-being. Chang Le then playfully offered him a pillow, which he accepted with a formal "Thank you, my consort." Li Che then left the bridal chamber, leaving Chang Le to reflect on the "danger" of their situation. Li Che convened an urgent meeting with Lord Zhu, Lord Xie, and Gongsun Mo.
Lord Zhu apologized for his unauthorized and risky plan regarding Liu Yuyao at the wedding, which unfortunately led to Official Chen's public dismissal from office the following day. While Li Che acknowledged Lord Zhu's good intentions, he issued a stern warning against any future unilateral actions. He then instructed Lord Xie to ensure Official Chen and his family were adequately cared for after his forced departure from the capital.
Li Che expressed deep confusion as to why Liu Yuyao remained a virgin, despite what he believed was highly reliable intelligence about her affair with Mr. Duan. This unexpected turn had completely derailed his plan to annul their marriage and, instead, only harmed Official Chen. He tasked Gongsun Mo with further investigating this perplexing matter, recognizing the need for a new strategy now that Liu Yuyao was officially married into the Prince’s mansion.
Once Li Che had left the bridal chamber, Chang Le began dismantling the traps she had meticulously set up. She suddenly recalled that she had left Li Heng and Zhu Yan tied up in the kitchen. Quickly changing back into her Fifth Prince disguise, she hurried to the kitchen, only to find them already gone. Relieved that they wouldn't know she was their captor, she inadvertently made a noise, which immediately alerted patrolling soldiers who mistook her for an assassin.
As soldiers scoured the grounds, Chang Le hid behind some rockery. Nong Ying appeared, helping Chang Le evade the searching guards. However, Nong Ying herself was soon cornered by Li Che, Gongsun Mo, and a group of soldiers. When confronted, Nong Ying explained that Liu Yuyao had been hungry, prompting her to fetch pastries from the kitchen. Li Che dismissed her, but Gongsun Mo remained suspicious.
He warned Li Che that both Nong Ying and Liu Yuyao were untrustworthy and should not be allowed to remain in the mansion. The Empress discussed Li Che's growing ambition with Li Heng, observing how the Crown Prince had garnered support from many court officials. Noticing Li Heng's distraction, she pressed him, but he merely attempted to subtly inquire about the daughters of ministers present at the wedding, hinting at his lingering feelings for Zhu Yan.
The Empress firmly rebuked him, reminding him of the critical importance of his marriage in expanding his political power, and informed him that she and his grandfather were still searching for a suitable match. She even suggested the little princess of Night Kingdom as a potential candidate. Disheartened, Li Heng feigned a headache and quickly excused himself, leaving the Empress frustrated by his lack of focus. Meanwhile, a woman named Ye Taohua sought justice at the local county court.
However, the local officials, deeming the case too sensitive, referred it to the Ministry of Punishments, which in turn passed it to the supreme court, confident that only its president, Li Che, would dare to handle it. Back in the Crown Prince’s mansion, Chang Le, in her role as Liu Yuyao, found herself utterly bored. Her thoughts drifted to Li Che's contradictory nature – his public cruelty at the palace versus his unexpected shyness during their wedding night.
She quickly dismissed these musings, reminding herself of her temporary three-month contract. Gongsun Mo then informed Li Che about the urgent and complicated case from the Ministry of Punishments, emphasizing that Li Che's personal involvement was required. He also suggested bringing Liu Yuyao along. Li Che, curious, agreed, and Gongsun Mo went to persuade Liu Yuyao. Intrigued by the idea of visiting the supreme court, Liu Yuyao readily accepted, even foregoing her meal.
At the supreme court, officials privately briefed Li Che on the case: the accused, Wang Dongjie, was a distant relative cherished by the Empress and, consequently, also related to Liu Yuyao. He was charged with raping Ye Taohua, a young servant girl from Qilin County who was the sole provider for her two younger siblings. This intricate web of relationships made the case highly sensitive.
Gongsun Mo then elaborated on his scheme to Li Che: the longer Liu Yuyao remained, the harder it would be to remove her. He anticipated that, given her relationship to Wang Dongjie, she would inevitably attempt to interfere on his behalf. This would provide Li Che with solid grounds to accuse her of misconduct and obtain a divorce. Li Che found the plan ingenious.
He tried to deter Liu Yuyao from staying for the trial by describing the case as a "rape case" involving "dirty and filthy matters." Far from being repulsed, Liu Yuyao became furious, denouncing the "shameless man" and insisting she would stay to witness the punishment of such a "beast." When Li Che finally revealed the accused was "Wang Dongjie, your far relative," Liu Yuyao was visibly shocked but remained steadfast in her resolve to stay.
During the trial, Wang Dongjie brazenly refused to kneel, citing his service to the Empress. Li Che, asserting his imperial authority, threatened him with severe corporal punishment until he complied. Wang Dongjie denied the rape, claiming he was studying at home, with his servants as witnesses. Li Che countered the alibi's implausibility, given the midnight hour, and demanded solid evidence. Ye Taohua was then summoned, but Wang Dongjie's menacing presence terrified her into silence.
To reassure her, Li Che presented her younger siblings, Xiaohua and Xiaocao, promising their safety. Liu Yuyao, observing Li Che's actions, then assured Ye Taohua that Wang Dongjie would not escape justice and that her family would be protected, and discreetly inquired about the distinctive "deep purple fragrance" she wore. Ye Taohua explained it was a unique scent exclusively made by the Wang family and recalled breaking a bottle of it during her struggle.
Liu Yuyao cleared the courtroom for a private interrogation with Wang Dongjie. Feigning the identity of his "cousin Yuyao," she expertly tricked him into confessing that he had indeed hidden the incriminating clothes. Unaware of her deception, Wang Dongjie boastfully claimed that even if the clothes were found, they would be inaccessible. Liu Yuyao then dramatically revealed her true identity as the Crown Princess and declared his confession recorded.
Li Che immediately dispatched a contingent of soldiers to Wang Dongjie's mansion to search for the evidence, while Gongsun Mo and Nong Ying guarded the prisoner. During this time, Nong Ying discreetly tended to a minor injury on Gongsun Mo's hand, bandaging it with care. At the mansion, Liu Yuyao quickly located a box with a cleverly concealed double-layered compartment.
Li Che, with careful manipulation, successfully opened the intricate lock, revealing the clothing permeated with the distinct deep purple fragrance, undeniable proof of Wang Dongjie's guilt. Back in the courtroom, Wang Dongjie was aghast that his "Lu Ban masterpiece" box, which he believed to be impenetrable, had been so easily opened. Liu Yuyao scoffed, revealing it was a counterfeit and that her "trick" simply involved pouring water into its gunpowder mechanism, rendering it useless.
With the evidence irrefutable, Wang Dongjie defiantly continued to insult Ye Taohua, labeling her a "bitch" and claiming she "deserved" her fate due to her attire. Enraged by his audacity, Liu Yuyao slapped him repeatedly, an unexpected outburst that left both Li Che and Gongsun Mo utterly bewildered by the Crown Princess's behavior.
Wang Dongjie retaliated with threats, reminding Li Che of the Empress's influence and her ongoing search for the "Golden Toad bottle," implying that his prolonged absence would incur the Empress's wrath upon Li Che. Ignoring the threats, Li Che delivered his verdict: Wang Dongjie was sentenced to 80 strokes of the ugly stick, ten years in prison, and his property was to be confiscated.
Upon discovering additional stolen calligraphy and jewelry, Li Che further increased his sentence by another 40 strokes and two more years. Wang Dongjie was dragged away, still defiantly proclaiming the Empress would save him. Liu Yuyao praised Li Che for a "well done" job, and he returned the compliment, clearly impressed. Later, Gongsun Mo oversaw the return of the confiscated calligraphy and jewelry to the original shop owner.
The grateful owner, realizing that the rumors about the Crown Prince's corruption were false and that Li Che had actually brought him justice, apologized for his previous misunderstanding. He immediately canceled his plans to leave the city and announced a grand celebration for his shop's reopening. Lord Xie, still wary, speculated that Liu Yuyao's decisive actions in the trial were a calculated ploy to earn Li Che's trust. Li Che, however, felt a genuine indignation in her emotions.
Lord Xie, undeterred, warned Li Che against being swayed by her "acting" and firmly reminded him of his commitment to Empress Shen to eliminate Liu Yuyao, reiterating that she remained a political impediment. The group then brainstormed new strategies to drive her away. They concluded that a refined woman like Liu Yuyao would be repulsed by "lower-class" establishments. Gongsun Mo initially suggested a brothel, which Li Che immediately rejected as too disgusting for himself.
Other ideas like a slaughterhouse (too cruel) or a beggar's den (too smelly) were also dismissed. Ultimately, a casino was proposed, and Li Che agreed to this plan. Gongsun Mo offered to distract Nong Ying, Liu Yuyao's maid. When Li Che invited Liu Yuyao to "play," Chang Le, in her role as Liu Yuyao, enthusiastically agreed and quickly followed him to the casino.
Gongsun Mo took Nong Ying to a calligraphy and painting exhibition, explaining that cultured gentlemen bring maids to such events. There, the grateful shop owner, whose stolen property was recovered by Li Che, proudly displayed a treasured item, master Huaisu's "Autobiography Script," as part of his grand reopening celebration. Concurrently, Li Che led Liu Yuyao to a bustling casino, a place completely unfitting for his princely status.
He attempted to repel her by dramatically embracing the persona of a dissolute gambler, boasting about his "decades of gambling experience" and declaring his enjoyment of all vices, including "eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling." He described the casino as a thrilling place filled with "outlaws and filthy men" before confidently placing a large bet. Liu Yuyao, far from being disgusted, was surprisingly fascinated by the various games, exclaiming that the casino was "like paradise" and expressing her excitement to play.
