Good Bye, My Princess Episode 14 Recap
> Good Bye, My Princess Recap
Gu Jian, a young lord, drank heavily at the Mi Luo Drinking House, refusing to leave even after closing time. Mi Luo tried to inquire about his troubles and offered to listen, but Gu Jian only continued to drink, saying he had no home. The next day, Xiaofeng visited the Grand Empress Dowager, where Yongning and Luoxi were also present. The Grand Empress Dowager presented various precious tributary gifts for them to choose from.
While Yongning and Luoxi selected elegant ornaments, Xiaofeng, much to the Grand Empress Dowager's amusement, chose only food, explaining that other items would just gather dust or be lost. She declared her preference for going out to play. When Luoxi mentioned an upcoming cuju match at the Forbidden Park involving sons of the royal family and high officials, Xiaofeng's eyes lit up.
She excitedly shared that she was skilled at cuju from her homeland, the great plains, where annual competitions were held. Although the Grand Empress Dowager forbade her from playing, she allowed Xiaofeng, Yongning, and Luoxi to attend the match as spectators. The cuju match soon began, with the seating arrangements hastily rearranged to accommodate the imperial ladies.
Among the players were Gao Zhen, the youngest son of Prime Minister Gao Yuming, and Zhao Shixuan, the son of General Zhao Jingyu and Zhao Sese's brother. Luoxi explained that while Gao Zhen was a strong player, Zhao Shixuan's team, handpicked from General Zhao’s elite Shuoyang Army, was superior. Xiaofeng worried aloud that Gao Zhen and Zhao Shixuan might fight because of their known rivalry over Mingyue, a top courtesan.
During the game, Gao Zhen intentionally kicked Zhao Shixuan, causing him to collapse in pain. Zhao Sese immediately rushed to her brother's side, accusing Gao Zhen of deliberately injuring him. However, Li Chengyin, Prince Yi, interjected, claiming it was merely an accidental injury common in cuju. Despite Zhao Sese's anger, Zhao Shixuan told her to drop the matter. Xiaofeng's earlier remark about the conflict was noted by the Crown Prince.
Later, Li Yan informed the Crown Prince that the feud between Gao Zhen and Zhao Shixuan over Mingyue was indeed common knowledge. The Crown Prince then turned to more pressing matters, noting that Li Chengyin had been feigning illness and secluding himself. The Crown Prince found Prince Yi's motives increasingly inscrutable, suspecting his courtship of Zhao Sese was a strategic move to ally with the Zhao family.
If the Zhao family and Prime Minister Gao both backed Prince Yi, it would be a development that had to be prevented. The Crown Prince recalled that General Zhao had repeatedly sought to offer his daughter to him as a second-rank consort. Shortly after, the Crown Prince received a gift from Zhao Sese, expressing her gratitude for his thoughtfulness and promising future repayment. Meanwhile, Empress Zhang Meiniang instructed Xiaofeng to recite "Lessons for Women."
When Xiaofeng struggled, the Empress, frustrated, demoted Directress Fang two ranks and reduced her monthly wage. Xiaofeng felt guilty and apologized, but Directress Fang found Xiaofeng's unrestrained nature to be a welcome breath of fresh air. Soon after, a palace servant reported that Prince Yi was lovesick, having been feigning illness because Zhao Sese, angered by his siding with Gao Zhen, refused to see him. Infuriated by the rumor, the Empress summoned Zhao Sese.
Hearing this, Xiaofeng rushed to warn Prince Yi. When Zhao Sese arrived, the Empress sternly reprimanded her, reminding her of womanly virtues and revealing that Prince Yi’s future consort was already decided—the granddaughter of Duke Wei. Heartbroken, Zhao Sese encountered Prince Yi and tearfully told him she would never bother him again. The Crown Prince, aware of General Zhao's prior intentions, met with him late at night to solidify their alliance.
Zhao Jingyu assured him that his daughter now recognized the Crown Prince as the ideal partner and that the Zhao family would have no further dealings with the Gao family. The next day in court, the Crown Prince recommended Zhao Jingyu for the position of North Subduing Marquis. The Emperor agreed, appointing him to assume the post in three days. Elsewhere, Xiaofeng accompanied Li Chengyin to revise local chronicles but grew restless.
Prince Yi curtly told her to remain quiet, asserting that revising state annals was "men's work." Xiaofeng vehemently rejected these restrictive customs. Frustrated, she followed him outside and started a playful snowball fight. In another part of the city, Prime Minister Gao Yuming furiously chastised his son, Gao Zhen, for ruining his plans by inadvertently driving the Zhao family into the Crown Prince's camp.
Later, a spy reported to the Crown Prince that Prince Yi and Zhao Sese had seen General Zhao Jingyu off at a pavilion outside the capital. It was then revealed that the entire sequence of events—Zhao Shixuan's injury, Zhao Sese's feigned anger, her refusal to see Prince Yi, and her letter to the Crown Prince—was a meticulous scheme orchestrated by Li Chengyin to deceive the Crown Prince.
Prince Yi had already gained Zhao Jingyu's trust, convincing him and Sese to stage the elaborate act to make the Crown Prince believe the Zhao family had genuinely shifted their loyalty to him. At the farewell, General Zhao entrusted his daughter's well-being to Prince Yi. Sese, in turn, worried that her brother might still resent Prince Yi for the staged injury, but made him promise that if he found a new love, he would not abandon her family.
Prince Yi gave her a jade pendant, explaining that if his plans failed, she could use it to seek protection from the Crown Prince, and Sese swore her unwavering loyalty. Realizing he had been cunningly manipulated and used as a pawn, the Crown Prince erupted in a furious rage.
