Good Bye, My Princess Episode 34 Recap
> Good Bye, My Princess Recap
Spurred by rumors of Xiaofeng's closeness with Pei Zhao, Li Chengyin arrived at Xiaofeng's Bearing Graces Hall late at night, declaring he was there to sleep with her. A'Du tried to intervene, but Yongniang, delighted, overruled her, instructing servants to prepare for the Crown Prince's first overnight stay and assist Xiaofeng with bathing. Once alone, Xiaofeng revealed that she had agreed to the Empress's proposal to raise Xuniang's child as her own.
Li Chengyin immediately chastised her, accusing her of being selfish and using the child to secure her position. Xiaofeng retorted, showing she knew he was not the Empress's biological son and that his own mother had left him when he was young.
She assured him she would not separate Xuniang from her child, then pointed out that he was the one who got Xuniang pregnant while drunk before refusing to bring her into the Eastern Palace due to her low status. She pressed him, asking if he genuinely liked Xuniang. Ignoring her question, Li Chengyin asked if she wasn't angry that he, her husband, had a child with another woman.
Xiaofeng calmly stated that it was normal for Central Plains men to have multiple wives, so she couldn't control who he married or had children with. Confessing she disliked Xuniang and knew Li Chengyin preferred Zhao Sese, she suggested he go to Sese's chambers instead. Li Chengyin insisted on staying, asserting his right as Crown Prince. When Xiaofeng threatened to sleep with A'Du, he trapped her on the bed, warning that A'Du would be punished if she interfered.
As they lay under separate blankets, Li Chengyin, sensing someone outside, deliberately pulled the blanket from Xiaofeng and falsely claimed Zhao Sese had persuaded him to come. Fed up, Xiaofeng went to the window for air and was startled to see Gu Jian standing in a tree, watching her with a mournful, protective gaze. She quickly closed the window, and Li Chengyin urged her back to bed, assuring her he had sent the guards away and they were alone.
Elsewhere, Gu Jian and Pei Zhao shared drinks. Pei Zhao urged Gu Jian to let go of his past sorrows, but Gu Jian retorted that if Pei Zhao had truly moved on, he wouldn't show such guilt and care towards Xiaofeng. Gu Jian emphasized that for both of them, Xiaofeng's safety was paramount. The next morning, Li Chengyin instructed Pei Zhao to investigate the servants of Bearing Graces Hall, suspecting a maid had been spying on them.
When Pei Zhao noted his poor complexion, Li Chengyin boasted that it was the best sleep he'd had in over a year. Meanwhile, a maid informed Zhao Sese that the Crown Prince had stayed overnight at Xiaofeng's, though they had argued. Privately upset that Li Chengyin was still angry with her for breaking a jade pendant, Sese followed her maid's advice to visit Xiaofeng to appear magnanimous.
She also instructed her maid to have Ying'er keep a close eye on Bearing Graces Hall. Zhao Sese arrived with gifts, calling Xiaofeng "Older Sister" despite being older, a gesture Yongniang explained was meant to foster closeness. To pass the time, Xiaofeng suggested they play a card game. During the game, Sese remarked on Xiaofeng's unique Xi State boots and provocatively asked why she wouldn't give a pair to Li Chengyin, subtly mentioning his overnight stay. Annoyed, Xiaofeng refused.
Sese then asked when Xiaofeng planned to bring Xuniang into the Eastern Palace. Yongniang intervened, explaining that Xuniang was under the Empress's care and could not be moved without her summons. After Sese left, Yongniang cautioned Xiaofeng to be wary of her, and Xiaofeng agreed, finding Sese's sudden concern for Xuniang suspicious. Li Chengyin learned of Sese's visit and her questions about Xuniang. Pei Zhao then reported that the eavesdropper was a maid named Ying'er, who worked for the Empress.
Li Chengyin decided to leave her in place to avoid alerting the Empress, whom he suspected had noticed his recent attention to Xiaofeng. Pei Zhao also informed him that the Emperor was now frequently visiting Mingyue, staying until daybreak. Concerned, Xiaofeng visited Mingyue, who appeared lovesick and confided that she had met a "godlike" man who treated her exceptionally well, promising to introduce him to Xiaofeng, who was unaware this was the Emperor.
Separately, Gu Jian orchestrated a plan at the Gao family's gambling house, a new meeting spot chosen due to spies at Mi Luo Drinking House. His target was Zhang Can, a Yulin Guard and a distant cousin of the Empress. By first letting Zhang Can win, they got him addicted, and he soon lost over ten thousand taels. Gu Jian was satisfied, patiently "fishing for a big fish."
Zhao Sese visited Xiaofeng again, presenting her with a hand-sewn scented pouch with a fragrance she and Li Chengyin both favored. Just then, a distraught Li Chengyin rushed in, questioning why Sese was there and asking if Xiaofeng had troubled her. He snatched the pouch, called Xiaofeng a "savage" who couldn't appreciate it, and ordered Sese to leave with him. As they left, Xiaofeng furiously banned him from her hall forever.
Later, Li Chengyin's harshness was revealed to be a ruse; he was afraid Sese was trying to harm Xiaofeng. He promised Sese he would visit her the next night, then discreetly gave the pouch to his confidant, Shi'en, to be investigated for poison. Alone, Xiaofeng reflected on Sese's beauty and Li Chengyin's affection for her, lamenting that she was an unwanted obstacle between them and now understood his fear that she would harm Sese.
She admitted to A'Du that she wasn't jealous, only envious that someone cared for Sese so deeply. Overcome with homesickness, she described her longing for Xi State's vast grasslands, the sound of the wind, and the sweet, low-hanging stars, a stark contrast to the cold, confining Eastern Palace.
