The Unexpected Marriage Episode 5 Recap
> The Unexpected Marriage Recap
Lv Jing ordered his subordinates You Yong and Youmou to acquire fireworks, knowing Princess Changsheng enjoyed them, especially as it was her birthday. Changsheng and Xiao Jin encountered Princess Guangde in the palace and were surprised by her unusually subdued demeanor, noting she didn't attempt to provoke them as was her custom. Changsheng had her maid investigate, learning that Guangde's recent change in disposition was due to a man she met at the Lantern Festival.
He had heroically saved her, leaving a lasting impression. Upon hearing this, Changsheng nearly choked on her tea, realizing she also had feelings for the same man, General Zhao Huaibi. Guangde later visited Changsheng at Changle Mansion, bringing a stack of storybooks filled with romantic tales. She claimed she wanted to be fair and impartial in their pursuit of the same person.
Seeing Guangde's gesture, Changsheng decided to be forthright and revealed that the man who had saved her in the deep pit was also Zhao Huaibi. Despite cautionary coughs from her maids Jinyan and Shenxing, Changsheng shared this information. Learning that Changsheng also liked Zhao Huaibi, Guangde immediately changed her mind, telling her maids to take the books back and abandoning all talk of fairness. Meanwhile, the Emperor proposed a marriage between Xiao Zilv and Princess Guangde.
Xiao Zilv refused, citing his leg disability and even threatening death to avoid the union. The Emperor reluctantly withdrew the proposal. This suited Guangde, who was already infatuated with Zhao Huaibi. Following this, Xiao Zilv sought out Guangde, suggesting they form an alliance to prevent Changsheng and Zhao Huaibi from becoming a couple. Guangde, wanting the hero for herself, readily agreed.
Xiao Zilv returned home, where his sister Xiao Jin expressed concern for his life if he intended to pursue Changsheng, whom she was close to. Though she cared for both her brother and her friend, her loyalty leaned towards Xiao Zilv's safety. Changsheng understood Xiao Jin's worries and was not upset by her warning. To win Zhao Huaibi's affection, Changsheng decided to learn fishing, an activity Zhao Huaibi was known to enjoy.
She enlisted Lv Jing's help, who not only agreed to teach her but also devised a dramatic entrance strategy involving playing the xiao (a vertical flute) to capture Zhao Huaibi's attention. Guangde, also advised by her own strategists, arrived with her own impressive entrance, playing the pipa. At the winter fishing spot, Guangde was quicker and pulled Zhao Huaibi onto her boat. However, Changsheng, catering to his known interest, immediately brought up the topic of fishing.
Zhao Huaibi was intrigued and agreed to fish with her. Since Changsheng didn't know how to cast a fishing line, Lv Jing arranged for someone to secretly hook a fish from underwater. This was discovered by Guangde, who sarcastically pointed out Changsheng's inability to even cast the line. The rivalry continued as both women vied for Zhao Huaibi's attention by offering him numerous fish dishes.
They insisted he try everything, leading to Zhao Huaibi becoming uncomfortably full and excusing himself from their company. Back at the diplomatic residence, Lv Jing's subordinates, You Yong and Youmou, were worried because the Fuyu ruler had not yet selected a candidate for the peace-making marriage, while Great Tang was pressuring Lv Jing to return with a report.
Lv Jing remained calm, assuring them he had a different plan for the report and that others were more anxious about the situation. Lv Jing strategically approached Xiao Zilv, subtly revealing that Prince Qin of Great Tang seemed interested in Princess Changsheng for the peace-making marriage. Xiao Zilv, alarmed by this potential development, quickly brought up the persistent rumor that marrying Changsheng brought bad luck.
Lv Jing smoothly dismissed this, stating that Prince Qin was brave and wise and did not believe in such superstitions. This conversation fueled Xiao Zilv's determination to prevent the match. The next day, Changsheng planned to visit Zhao Huaibi at the military camp to show him support and concern during his training. Lv Jing, wanting to assess the strength of the Fuyu army, decided to accompany her disguised as her small servant named Yi'an.
As fate would have it, Guangde also arrived at the camp, bringing a maid. Both women brought gifts for Zhao Huaibi. Changsheng presented a simple, handmade embroidered pouch, emphasizing the personal effort involved, while Guangde gave a "soaring and invincible safety bracelet" that she claimed to have made but was actually made by palace embroiderers. Their gift-giving quickly devolved into sarcastic jabs about each other's culinary skills.
During their visit, a newly arrived Dayuan horse known for its wild temperament became difficult to control. Zhao Huaibi attempted to tame it but was thrown off. Changsheng, showing bravery, volunteered to try, but Zhao Huaibi immediately forbade her, concerned for her safety. Seeing an opportunity, Guangde asked Zhao Huaibi to teach her how to ride a horse, and he agreed, choosing the wild horse's stablemate.
Meanwhile, Lv Jing, in his disguise as Yi'an, used the opportunity to look around the camp and observe the soldiers practicing a specialized Long Spear Formation on the Training Arena, asking a soldier about its origins and effectiveness. Zhao Huaibi was seen riding with Guangde, assisting her in learning, which meant Changsheng seemed to have lost another round in their rivalry. However, Lv Jing (as Yi'an) offered words of encouragement to Changsheng, preventing her from becoming too disheartened.
Later, Changsheng spoke with Lv Jing (as Yi'an), asking about his personal life and whether he had someone he liked. He gave evasive answers. Changsheng then sought his help in her competition against Guangde for Zhao Huaibi's affection. She proposed that a nose scratch would be their secret signal for agreement. Lv Jing tacitly agreed to help her by performing the signal. As their conversation concluded, it began to snow.
