Good Bye, My Princess Episode 33 Recap
> Good Bye, My Princess Recap
Gu Jian provided Mingyue with meticulously gathered details about Pure Consort Gu's life and habits, sourced from an old lady-in-waiting who had served the consort. When Mingyue next met the Emperor, she feigned shared interests by serving him dishes such as Azure Dragon Lying on the Snow, Hidden Needle in Snow, Buddha's Hand and the Goddess of Mercy Lotus, and Fallen Leaf Lute Shrimp, claiming they were hometown recipes her mother often made.
She also remarked that the Fallen Leaf Lute Shrimp was best paired with mulberry wine, a detail that resonated deeply with the Emperor. Mingyue’s actions evoked a mix of sad and happy memories for the Emperor. Moved by her sincerity, he revealed his true identity as the reigning Emperor of the Li Empire and declared her a gift from the heavens. Meanwhile, Li Chengyin had Pei Zhao investigate Xuniang.
Pei Zhao reported that Xuniang had no significant background after five years as a lady-in-waiting, but had recently grown close to Zhang Can, a lazy subordinate of his who was also a distant cousin of the Empress. Afterward, Li Chengyin visited Qingluan Hall to give Zhao Sese a water-blue dress, remarking on how lovely she looked in that color. Overjoyed, Zhao Sese quickly changed into it.
However, Li Chengyin then brought up the wolf tooth pendant he had given her, explaining it actually belonged to Xiaofeng, a gift from her grandfather who had killed a wolf king. He added that the wolf tooth was considered an unlucky object. Though displeased, Zhao Sese feigned generosity and agreed to return the pendant. To appease her, Li Chengyin presented her with an exquisite jade pendant that complemented her new dress.
Elsewhere, Gao Yuming worried about his daughter Ruyi’s future, as she had been in the palace for over a month without having served the Emperor. He expressed strategic concerns to his son that the Crown Prince might become too independent from the Gao family, emphasizing their need for Ruyi to bear a prince to secure their lineage. His son reassured him that Empress Zhang Meiniang had secretly arranged for Ruyi’s investiture within days.
However, when the Emperor later asked Empress Zhang Meiniang about visiting Ruyi, she demurred, citing Ruyi’s youth and delicate health. That evening, defying the Empress, the Emperor privately visited Ruyi at Splendor and Happiness Palace Hall. When Empress Zhang Meiniang was informed, she became furious, feeling that Ruyi had overstepped her bounds. On Li Chengyin's birthday, he, Zhao Sese, and Xiaofeng went to pay respects to Empress Zhang Meiniang.
Zhao Sese presented him with intricately embroidered scenery, while Xiaofeng straightforwardly gifted him one hundred gold ingots, which amused Li Chengyin. In return, Li Chengyin gave Xiaofeng a custom-made riding outfit from Weipin Pavilion, a delightful surprise that made her sense his growing affection. He also presented a separate set of gifts to Zhao Sese. Empress Zhang Meiniang then announced her own special gift, calling in Xuniang and revealing she was pregnant with Li Chengyin’s first imperial grandchild.
The news stunned Xiaofeng, while Zhao Sese broke down in tears, earning a sharp rebuke from the Empress. The Empress chastised Sese for crying during a joyful occasion and advised her to be more magnanimous, as the Crown Prince would have many women. Li Chengyin tried to intervene, stating he should have been consulted and suggesting they delay Xuniang's official promotion until after the child's birth. The Empress, however, promoted Xuniang to the rank of Baolin.
Recognizing Zhao Sese would not tolerate Xuniang in the Eastern Palace, the Empress declared Xuniang would reside in her Clean and Peaceful Palace. As Zhao Sese was escorted away, she returned to her own palace distraught, smashing objects and lamenting that Li Chengyin had broken his promise of exclusive devotion. When Li Chengyin arrived, he found Zhao Sese weeping uncontrollably.
He attempted to explain by falsely claiming he had been drunk at the Empress’s palace and that the affair was her arrangement. Zhao Sese refused to be comforted, bemoaning her fate of being unable to please the Empress, lacking the status of the Crown Princess Consort, and now being surpassed even by a maid carrying an imperial grandchild. Frustrated by her accusations, Li Chengyin declared he would not explain further and left.
In despair, Zhao Sese smashed the jade pendant he had just given her, a token her maid called their pledge of love, and collapsed sobbing. Later, Empress Zhang Meiniang summoned Xiaofeng, admonishing her for failing to manage Zhao Sese's public jealousy. Xiaofeng defended Sese, pointing out the cruelty of Li Chengyin's betrayal despite his proclaimed affection. The Empress dismissed this and declared her intention for Xiaofeng to raise Xuniang’s child after its birth, a palace custom.
Xiaofeng objected, calling it cruel to separate an infant from its mother, but the Empress corrected her that it was established protocol. She also reprimanded Yongniang for failing to educate Xiaofeng on palace rules. Meanwhile, rumors spread through the palace. Servants questioned why the Empress would choose an ordinary maid like Xuniang for the Crown Prince, deeming the situation suspicious.
The gossip then shifted to Xiaofeng and Pei Zhao, with whispers that they had known each other in Xi State and that she had even made him a protective wristband. The rumors escalated to claims that they frequently met late at night. The eunuch Shi'en overheard these whispers and tried to silence them, but they eventually reached Li Chengyin, who became visibly enraged upon hearing that the Crown Princess Consort and General Pei were "very close."
