Good Bye, My Princess Episode 26 Recap
> Good Bye, My Princess Recap
Following the wedding, Crown Princess Xiaofeng falls gravely ill. General Pei Zhao reports her deteriorating condition to Crown Prince Li Chengyin, who confesses he is aware of her illness. He explains that to appease the punished Zhao Sese, he must feign anger and publicly neglect Xiaofeng. He secretly instructs Pei Zhao to procure high-quality medicine from his own stores and have it delivered to Xiaofeng through Yongniang, the Great-Grandmother’s trusted servant.
He also orders Pei Zhao to investigate the Eastern Palace to identify spies working for the Empress and Prime Minister Gao. Pei Zhao later meets with his mentor, Chai Mu. Pei Zhao explains that the Empress and Prime Minister Gao want Li Chengyin to be a Crown Prince absorbed in romance, making him easier to manipulate, a pretense Li Chengyin is using to hide his true ambitions and plan his strategy.
Chai Mu confirms he has already ordered Gu Jian to summon all Submerged Dragon Envoys to the capital, placed spies in the Gao and Ye manors, and replaced most of the Eastern Palace guards with their own men, leaving some of the original staff to avoid arousing suspicion. They discuss Fang Shiqing, one of the Crown Prince's preceptors, whom Pei Zhao confirms is Gao's man and that Li Chengyin intends to use him in a ruse.
Chai Mu expresses concern over Li Chengyin’s changing attitude towards Xiaofeng, warning Pei Zhao that the Crown Prince’s position is still precarious and urging him to report any unusual developments. Xiaofeng, deeply homesick, refuses all medicine from Yongniang and A'Du. Gu Jian arrives with her favorite lamb ribs and grape wine, lifting her spirits. She confides in him her longing for Xi State and worries why her father has not replied to her letters.
Moved by her loneliness, Gu Jian secretly visits Li Chengyin. He explains that Xiaofeng, still unaware of her mother's death, feels isolated. He asks Li Chengyin to send her some tribute items from Xi State along with a forged letter from her father to comfort her. Li Chengyin agrees and tasks Pei Zhao with the delivery, strictly warning him to keep the Crown Prince's involvement a secret.
Receiving the letter and gifts, Xiaofeng is overjoyed and relieved, her homesickness temporarily eased. To further his political schemes, Li Chengyin feigns incompetence during court discussions with his preceptors. When the Empress visits, he complains about the tedious lectures of Junior Preceptor Li Shiqing, making himself appear overwhelmed. The Empress advises him to consult Prime Minister Gao for guidance.
Later, Fang Shiqing reports to Prime Minister Gao, boasting that the Crown Prince now favors him over the other preceptors and has even begun relying on him to "guess" exam topics, earning rewards from the Emperor. Despite this, Gao remains wary, suspecting Li Chengyin's ineptitude is an act and still troubled by the Danchi incident, wondering who is secretly aiding the Crown Prince. General Pei Zhao accompanies Xiaofeng to a memorial temple.
He explains that Li Chengyin ordered its construction to honor her grandfather, Tömür, as a hero. However, following Li Chengyin's secret instructions, when Xiaofeng asks if he had sent them, Pei Zhao lies and claims the visit was his own idea. Inside, upon seeing Tömür's armor, Xiaofeng collapses in tears.
Pei Zhao consoles her, explaining that the war between their nations has a long history and that such conflicts, not solely controlled by the Crown Prince, bring suffering to both sides. Xiaofeng acknowledges the tragedy of war but laments her cruel fate, torn between her grandfather's death and her marriage to the man who led the army against him. Once Zhao Sese's house arrest is lifted, Li Chengyin immediately visits her, fueling palace gossip.
The servants note his attention to Zhao Sese contrasts sharply with his neglect of the still-recovering Xiaofeng. When Yongniang tries to silence them, Xiaofeng calmly stops her. She explains that her sadness was once rooted in her inability to return home, but she has resolved to live cheerfully in the capital. Feeling restless, Xiaofeng and A'Du sneak out to the Mi Luo Drinking House, meeting Gu Jian and Mi Luo.
Xiaofeng, explaining her past aloofness was due to amnesia, expresses her gratitude for Gu Jian's care and asks to become sworn siblings. Gu Jian playfully deflects, suggesting a master-student relationship would be more appropriate to avoid rumors. He makes a solemn promise: as her master, he will be her closest protector after her parents, willing to stand against the world for her. Moved, Xiaofeng formally accepts him as her master. As they celebrate, a tipsy Gu Jian tells Mi Luo that their strange harmony exists because they have known each other for two lifetimes.
