Good Bye, My Princess Episode 15 Recap
> Good Bye, My Princess Recap
Prime Minister Gao Yuming sought an audience with Empress Zhang, who initially refused to see him, suspecting he was there to question the recent incident concerning the conferment of the North Subduing Marquis. Although her maid suggested she feign absence, Zhang knew she couldn't evade him forever. She had already suspected Li Chengyin's involvement, noting that Zhao Sese's genuine affection for Li Chengyin seemed inconsistent with the Zhao family's sudden alignment with the Crown Prince.
When meeting with Gao Yuming, Zhang tried to protect Li Chengyin by claiming he was too innocent for such schemes. However, Gao Yuming revealed that his spies had witnessed Li Chengyin and Miss Zhao escorting Zhao Jingyu out of the capital, confirming it was a staged performance. He pointed out that Li Chengyin, if truly simple-minded, could not have achieved such great merits in Danchi nor strategized so effectively in court.
Gao Yuming suggested that Li Chengyin's transformation was likely due to the guidance of an expert. Zhang deflected, saying Gao Yuming himself was Li Chengyin's only mentor. Concerned, Gao Yuming warned that Li Chengyin was beginning to act independently of her, and Zhang assured him she would keep a closer watch on her nephew. Meanwhile, Gu Jian was at Mi Luo's tavern, where he had accumulated a large debt from eating and drinking for free.
Mi Luo, the tavern owner, complained about his outstanding balance and threatened to stop serving him. Later, Mi Luo introduced Gu Jian to Mingyue, a courtesan from the Singing Jade Brothel. Gu Jian and Mingyue bonded over their shared experience of having no homeland. Mingyue recounted her tragic past: she and her mother were captured and buried alive, but her father never came to their rescue.
She barely escaped, was saved by foreign merchants, learned to sing and dance, and eventually returned to the capital as a courtesan to seek revenge. Gu Jian encouraged her to live on, assuring her that the wicked would eventually face retribution. Unbeknownst to Mingyue, her father, Chai Mu, was watching from afar. He later confessed to Gu Jian that he couldn't acknowledge Mingyue because he was a wanted fugitive and didn't want to endanger her.
He explained that on the day she was captured, he had to save Gu Jian, a choice he did not regret as some sacrifices are necessary for a greater cause. Chai Mu reminded Gu Jian of their families' blood feud, urging him to remain focused on their mission. Li Chengyin was reviewing scrolls from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War when Xiaofeng arrived.
He showed her a newly drawn map of Xi State, and as she looked at it, she felt an inexplicable familiarity, asking him if they had known each other for a long time. Later, Xiaofeng was caught gambling with palace maids, having won a substantial amount of their allowance. Her attendant, Yongniang, scolded her for behavior unbecoming of her status. That evening, while examining her winnings, Xiaofeng noticed the copper coins were inconsistent in size and thickness.
She questioned Yongniang, who suggested it was likely a craftsman's error, but Xiaofeng remained suspicious. Not long after, Li Chengyin visited Xiaofeng, teasing her for hiding in the Grand Literature Library. Xiaofeng excitedly shared her "great discovery" about the varying copper coins, calling it a sign of poor craftsmanship. Recognizing the serious implications, Li Chengyin feigned disinterest, snatched the coins, and dismissed the matter as trivial.
He then secretly informed Chai Mu and Pei Zhao, suspecting the thinner coins were counterfeits. They deduced that since most of the empire's copper was used for Buddha statues, and the supervisor for the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas was Elder Prince Zhong's son, Li Yan, the Crown Prince was likely involved in embezzling copper to mint counterfeit currency. They concluded that to prevent a royal cover-up, the Emperor himself must order the investigation.
The next day, Li Chengyin sent Xiaofeng a Kongming lock puzzle. Initially annoyed, Xiaofeng accepted the challenge after being told that Li Chengyin believed she was intelligent enough to solve it. Later, while working on the Annals of the Western Border, she and Li Chengyin disagreed over the accuracy of the records and took their dispute to the Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager.
During the argument, Li Chengyin cleverly provoked Xiaofeng by boasting of the Li Empire's superior craftsmanship, prompting her to bring up the inconsistent copper coins as a counterpoint to draw the Emperor's attention. However, with no coins on hand, Xiaofeng couldn't prove her claim. Subtly challenged by Li Chengyin, she vowed to find evidence. Ignoring lavish gifts sent by the Crown Prince, Xiaofeng's mind was set on collecting coins.
She and A'Du slipped out of the palace and encountered Gu Jian. When pawn shops refused to accept her royal-issued golden cup, Gu Jian broke it into smaller pieces of gold, which they successfully exchanged for a large quantity of copper coins. After returning Xiaofeng to the palace, Gu Jian used some of the gold to pay off his debt at Mi Luo's tavern. Upon her return, Xiaofeng presented the coins to the Emperor and Grand Empress Dowager.
She explained that out of a thousand coins collected from the market, six hundred were thinner and more crudely made than the four hundred official ones. Li Chengyin corroborated her claim, adding that he had heard rumors of counterfeit coins and was alarmed by the quantity she had found. He warned that if the counterfeit currency was so prevalent, it could destabilize the court, and noted that its high quality suggested it was not from an ordinary workshop. Recognizing the severity of the issue, the Emperor ordered Li Chengyin to investigate discreetly. Eager to uncover the truth, Xiaofeng volunteered to assist, and the Emperor granted her permission.
