The Unexpected Marriage Episode 15 Recap
> The Unexpected Marriage Recap
The Emperor insisted on knowing the reason for the rumors. Changsheng reluctantly shared that there were whispers claiming Princess Consort Song was destined to be the Empress Dowager and Prince Song the Emperor Emeritus. The Emperor's expression changed drastically, and Prince Song immediately knelt, vehemently denying the accusation and calling it a false accusation spread by others.
Changsheng clarified she had only heard Princess Consort Song mention discovering a holy stone in their garden and was concerned it might be used to spread rumors, citing the historical precedent of Empress Lv Zhi using a stone and rumors to gain power. The Emperor declared that as long as he lived, the events surrounding Empress Lv Zhi would never be repeated. Prince Song swore his loyalty and denied any ambition to overstep the Emperor's authority.
Lv Jing arrived, and the Emperor asked about his supposed injury. Lv Jing denied being injured, prompting Prince Song to insist he was and try to physically demonstrate it. Lv Jing, however, firmly held Prince Song's wrist, causing him discomfort, which made the Emperor note that Prince Song seemed the one who was weak. The Emperor then asked Lv Jing's opinion on the rumors about Changsheng.
Lv Jing suggested the rumors seemed suspicious, possibly spread by spies aiming to cause unrest by linking them to the upcoming marriage alliance with Fuyu. Princess Royal added that even she, a woman, knew not to easily believe rumors, and the Emperor, as the Son of Heaven, would not be fooled. She suggested the matter was simple. The Emperor expressed frustration, asking if they couldn't offer him some peace of mind.
Lv Jing argued it would be unfair to punish Prince Song based on baseless rumors and proposed taking the opportunity to order everyone in the palace to stop relaying the erroneous information. The Emperor agreed and issued a decree that anyone caught spreading gossip in the palace would be severely punished. Later, Lv Jing visited Princess Royal, who was copying a painting, and presented her with a painting from Changsheng as thanks.
He expressed gratitude to Princess Royal for warning him about the palace rumors and for defending Changsheng during the audience. He explained he was worried for Changsheng's safety in Great Tang due to her free-spirited nature clashing with the local customs and the current instability. He asked Princess Royal for help. Princess Royal suggested Changsheng come to Xiuwen Hall to compile books, noting Changsheng's strong literary skills she had observed.
She believed this would help Changsheng calm her mind and be a great help to her work. Lv Jing thanked his aunt. Back at his mansion, Lv Jing had the copied painting displayed and instructed Youyong and Youmou to invite Changsheng to his study to appreciate it. When Changsheng arrived, Lv Jing highlighted the skill and depth of Princess Royal's painting, noting how it integrated different philosophical essences.
He spoke of Princess Royal's achievements in establishing Xiuwen Hall and her contributions to Great Tang's culture, mentioning her previous help. Impressed by Princess Royal, Changsheng immediately decided to visit her the next day. Lv Jing instructed Youyong and Youmou to notify Princess Royal of Changsheng's impending visit the next day and leave the rest to her.
Meanwhile, Prince Song returned to his mansion drunk, complaining to Princess Consort Song that the discovery of the holy stone had ruined his plans and caused the Emperor to be wary of him. Princess Consort Song grew furious, accusing him of being incompetent and wasting time on trivial pursuits instead of his ambition, and physically lashed out at him. Prince Song tried to soothe her, claiming it was just bad luck and they would succeed next time.
Changsheng struggled to choose a suitable gift for Princess Royal. She considered an agarwood bracelet and a white porcelain tea set, but dismissed them, thinking Princess Royal, as a noble and capable woman, needed something more practical. Lv Jing arrived and, correctly guessing her line of thought, agreed that for someone who spends her time compiling books, an ink brush would be the most practical and appreciated gift. Changsheng praised his insight.
As she prepared to leave for Xiuwen Hall, Lv Jing offered to accompany her, but Changsheng declined, confident she would make a good first impression. Lv Jing commented under his breath that it was more like walking into a trap. At the Imperial Academy of Medicine, the doctors were tasked with sending someone to Xiuwen Hall to restore a batch of medical books, a job Princess Royal had specifically requested be handled by someone capable.
The older doctors, like Doctor Ma and Doctor Yuan, made various excuses to avoid the demanding task. When Xiao Zilv arrived, the other doctors quickly agreed that he was the most suitable person and urged him to accept the "great opportunity," claiming Princess Royal had specifically requested him. Xiao Zilv reluctantly agreed. Changsheng arrived at Xiuwen Hall and was greeted by Lingzhi, Princess Royal's personal maid. Lingzhi explained Princess Royal was in a morning meeting but expected her.
She took Changsheng's gift and instructed her to change into Xiuwen Hall's attire as per the rules. Changsheng found the clothes impressive. Lingzhi then directed Changsheng to a table and presented her with two piles of books, explaining they were her tasks for the day: one pile for sorting and filing, the other for copying and proofreading.
Changsheng protested that she was there to visit, not compile books, but Lingzhi stated it was Princess Royal's order and implied it might be a test. Changsheng, despite not knowing how to compile ancient texts, decided to try, finding the work difficult to understand. Princess Royal appeared and questioned Changsheng on her understanding of compiling books.
When Changsheng gave a simplistic answer, Princess Royal criticized her lack of knowledge and told her she was wasting the hall's resources and should leave if she didn't understand the work. This spurred Changsheng to take the task seriously. Lingzhi later asked Princess Royal why she had been so harsh.
Princess Royal explained that Changsheng was intelligent but lacked patience and needed to be motivated by understanding the importance of the work and her position in Great Tang before she would apply herself properly. After working, Changsheng presented the compiled books to Princess Royal, who deemed them unqualified and ordered her to redo the entire batch.
Princess Royal then informed her that all compilers shared the responsibility of cleaning the hall and, as a temporary addition, Changsheng would be in charge of the dusting job starting that day, warning of punishment if the work wasn't completed. Xiao Zilv arrived and overheard, believing Princess Royal was deliberately making things difficult for Changsheng and rushing the process. He spoke up in Changsheng's defense, asking for specific details about the errors.
Princess Royal showed him the book, pointing out numerous mistakes in character interpretation and accuracy, emphasizing the critical importance of precision in such work and the severe consequences of errors if the books were distributed. Changsheng acknowledged her mistakes and agreed to rework the books. Xiao Zilv offered to help, but Princess Royal insisted Changsheng must complete the work herself to learn and grow, especially considering her status. Xiao Zilv conceded that Princess Royal was right.
Princess Royal then assigned Xiao Zilv the additional task of copying all the poems in the hall, since he had expressed interest in Great Tang culture. That evening, Changsheng was still struggling with the books. Lv Jing arrived to pick her up. Changsheng expressed her exhaustion and fear of Princess Royal, complaining that Lv Jing's stories were the reason she ended up doing such difficult work. Lv Jing offered to help her copy the books.
They worked together for a while before returning to the mansion. The following day, Xiao Zilv visited Princess Royal and apologized for his rash behavior the previous day, stating he now understood she was intentionally training Changsheng. They discussed a poem about two people separated by a river, which Xiao Zilv found beautiful but sad, reflecting the pain of separation despite mutual affection.
Princess Royal mused that such deeply emotional poems are often written by those who have experienced love, loss, and separation, suggesting that true love, if fated, will find a way to overcome all obstacles. Xiao Zilv then observed that Princess Royal looked unwell and seemed overly worried, which wasn't good for her health, noting her reluctance to discuss it. Changsheng continued her demanding routine at Xiuwen Hall, working long hours and feeling sore and exhausted.
Youyong and Youmou reported to Lv Jing about Changsheng's difficult schedule and fatigue, mentioning her physical discomfort. Misinterpreting this as a need for comfort, they suggested Lv Jing visit her. Lv Jing went to Changsheng's room late that night, calling out to her that he was there to bring her "warmth." Changsheng, tired and trying to rest, reluctantly opened the door. Lv Jing surprised her with a kiss. Changsheng was shocked but primarily exhausted, telling him she was too tired to deal with him at the moment and still hadn't forgiven him for previous lies.
